You're So Vain
by Ultrawoman
Summary: AUAll Human. Spike lives for two things his music and the Bronze. When his friend sells the club and the new owner's high and mighty daughter, Buffy, becomes the boss, Spike's priorities start to change.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : Of all the ideas I've been having for Spuffy fic, this is the one that's been in my head the longest. I only hope I can pull it off and that it is as popular as some of my other stories have been. Please let me know what you think so far, by reviewing this opening chapter.**

**Title : You're So Vain**

**Rating : PG-13**

**Summary : AU-All Human. Spike lives for two things; his music and the Bronze. When his friend sells the club and the new owner's rich-bitch daughter, Buffy, becomes the boss, Spike's priorities start to change.**

**Disclaimer : Most characters and places mentioned are based on Joss Whedon's creations from Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel The Series, they do not belong to me.**

Chapter 1

At the back of the dark and empty club, a figure sat all alone, his legs dangling over the edge of the stage and a guitar balanced on his knee. To his right stood a bottle of beer and a cigarette expertly balanced against the side of an ashtray, whilst he scribbled frantically with a pencil on the scraps of paper to his left.

Putting down the writing implement he took another drag on his cigarette before stubbing it out and re-positioning the guitar so he could play. Following notes he'd written on the page next to him, his fingers worked the strings of the instrument until it sung his latest composition for him. The sound echoed around the empty space, his eyes falling shut as he started again from the beginning, feeling the music more than just playing and hearing.

He grinned in apparent delight at the sound he achieved, his whole body rocking with the rhythm of the song in his head, only a fraction of which could be conveyed by himself and the guitar alone, still it was going to be one of his best. In his mind he heard the lyrics in his own voice, the drums and bass pounding out behind him as he made the guitar sing in a way that only he could - at least he'd like to think so.

"Yo Spike!" a voice called, interrupting his concentration completely and almost making him snap a string.

"You plannin' on going solo without telling us, man?" a second voice, this one female yelled across the open floor before someone hit the lights and made the new-comers' arrival all the more apparent.

"Like you lot could get anywhere without me" Spike scoffed offering a hand to Faith who pulled herself up onto the stage beside him, Oz and Xander weren't far behind.

"Wow, this looks pretty good" the girl looked impressed as she picked up the papers Spike had been scribbling on. She picked up his beer bottle and took a swig without a care as she looked over the arrangements some more, trying to show it to the boys.

"It's not finished yet, you nosy bit" Spike snapped good-naturedly as he pulled the paper from her grasp. His eyes twinkled with fun as he handed his guitar to Xander, got to his feet just as Faith did, and purposely held the pages higher than she could possible reach.

"Come on, baby" she said seductively, stepping in close and running her hands up inside the back of his T-shirt, "You know you wanna give it up"

"Piss off" he tried to repress the laughter that rose in his throat as her fingers tickled his skin, "Here, read the bloody thing if you must" he said eventually, thrusting the paper back into her hands, "but don't start with me if you don't like it, I told you it's not done yet"

"Looks good" she said after a few minutes perusal, Spike glanced at her over his rescued beer bottle as he drank, "Lyric could use some work though..."

"You always say that" he rolled his eyes.

"And she's usually right" Xander threw in, earning himself a threatening look that he ignored since he knew no real malice lie behind it.

"Hey guys" Oz called their attention as he expertly fiddled with the amp he was crouched next to, "I thought we came here to practice" he reminded them.

Faith took her place behind the drum-kit whilst Spike hooked his guitar up to the amp and Xander flicked the controls on his keyboards. Oz already had his bass ready, and waited for his band-mates to get tuned up.

"Let's start from the top of the original set" Spike suggested, adjusting the strap of his guitar, "Welcome to the Hellmouth, on three" he looked to Faith who nodded, waiting a moment before beating the drum sticks together three times.

When they all began to play together the volume was enormous but that didn't mean there wasn't a decent melody in there. One thing that could never be said about The Chosen was that they played loud to hide the fact they sucked. Every song was a veritable master-piece, mostly written musically by Spike with occasional help from Oz. The lyrics came from all four of them for different songs, but Spike sang lead on almost every one.

'_It's not what I expected, well whoever said it would be  
__Your lies were undetected, didn't know how you would use me  
__I should've learnt my lesson, but babe you know it's true  
__When all is said and done I will come crawling back to you'_

Sometimes Spike hated singing this song, the one he'd written during a larger off period of his on-off relationship with Drusilla. At the time his writing of music was all that kept him going, kept him relatively sane, but the pain he'd instilled in this song seemed to leak out a little more every time it was sung

'_Welcome to the Hellmouth, the voices scream so loud  
__Maybe it's the danger that draws me from the crowd  
__Welcome to the Hellmouth, it's written in your smile  
__Know that you don't love me, happy burnin' in denial'_

He launched into the guitar solo, eyes closed as he played that which he knew so well. He felt every chord, every note, vibrating through his body like electricity, nothing else made him feel so alive and the painful memories that haunted him when he sung the words were soon lost into nothingness when the guitar took over alone.

Spike jolted from his semi-dream state when he realised the rest of the band had not come back in when they were supposed to. He opened his eyes and looked around at them strangely until he heard someone clear her throat behind him, down where the audience would be should they have one.

"Hello cutie" he smirked as he turned and looked down at a small blonde woman, dressed in a stylish business suit, at the edge of the stage, "Enjoying the show?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. He wondered how she'd got in since there was a limited number of people who had keys - himself, Oz, Doyle the barman, and the new owner of course, but he wasn't due to arrive til next week. She didn't look the rock band groupie type anyway.

"How do you enjoy a noise like that?" she shot back in a truly condescending tone, her nose wrinkling in apparent distaste.

Faith snorted in the background, clearly unimpressed by the newcomers attitude.

"I'll have you know, pet" Spike told the blonde, head tilted as he crouched down on the stage in front of her, pushing his guitar around to his back, "That the 'noise' we make, is bloody popular around here"

"Aaw, is your little town here populated by mostly deaf people?" she said as if she were sympathetic for the suffering and Spike looked ready to explode. You could diss him for a lot of things, his clothes, his attitude, whatever, but nobody said anything even slightly derogatory about his music.

"Uh, hey" Xander interjected, running round to Spike's side and physically pulling him back from the edge of the stage, "I'm not sure who you are" he told the girl below them, "but I'm guessing you're new around here and I'm thinking maybe insulting people isn't the best way to make friends" he suggested.

Though the stranger answered him, her eyes and Spike's stayed locked onto each other.

"I'm not here to make friends" she said coolly, "and certainly not with people like _him_" she gestured vaguely towards Spike.

"If you were a bloke, I swear to God..." he threatened, voice dangerously low.

"Spike" Xander reprimanded, pulling him back once again. The girl looked suitably unimpressed anyway, to the point where she almost laughed.

"Oh I'm sorry, I'm supposed to be scared now?" she smiled, "Yeah, that'll happen" she told him, sarcasm all too evident as she turned her back on him and surveyed the sight of the club around her.

"Bitch" Spike seethed from the stage as Faith stepped up to his side and Xander still held onto his arm, knowing he wouldn't hit a woman but not trusting him to not take his frustration out on their instruments or something else instead.

"Hey Spike, you want her smacked down, let me know" she told her friend, always protective of 'her boys' as she often referred to them. She might be the youngest in the band, just twenty, where her cousin, Xander, and Oz were twenty-two and Spike was twenty-four, and of course she was the only girl but she was almost their equal in strength and they knew it.

"Er, I don't so much want to get in the middle of this" Oz admitted as he hopped down off the edge of the stage, his hands half up in mock surrender as he glanced between his friends and the new girl, "but I find it kinda interesting that you just barged right in here, didn't give a name or anything, and just started a fight" he said, looking quizzically at the blonde, "Is this your hobby or something? Trying to get hit?"

The young woman rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest as she observed the slightly calmer Spike on the stage.

"My name is Buffy Summers" she said smartly, like a five year old proud to have learnt it, "and as of now, the club you're standing in belongs to me"

The band members all looked at each other with more than a little astonishment.

"You own the Bronze now?" Faith checked, unable to believe it, "Why in the hell would a chick like you want a place like this?"

"What I think Faith meant to say" Xander cut in, giving her the dark-haired girl a look, "was greetings and welcome, and we apologise for anything upsetting we might have said, cos y'know we really like playing here and would not want to get on the wrong side of the new boss" he grinned over-zealously, "Am I right, guys?" he urged them to agree which Faith did eventually, though she was clearly unhappy about it. Spike pulled from his friends grasp and stormed off the back of the stage, disappearing behind the curtain.

"Well, thankyou" Buffy spoke condescendingly to Xander, "but right now I need you out of here. I have things to do and people due to arrive so if you could all clear out..."

"But what about our practice time, we..." Faith began, Xander shoved his hand over her mouth and led her away.

"Not now Faith" he told her, yelping like a wounded puppy when she bit his finger to make him let go. Still she dutifully followed on out of the club with the boys, assuming Spike had gone out the back door.

Once they were gone, Buffy took a proper look around. When her Dad had told her he'd got a surprise for her, she never in her wildest dreams imagined it'd be a club like this. To be honest she hadn't ever been to a place like this, her social life was limited to high class events that she attended with her parents, up until last year that was. It was nine months now since Hank Summers had up and left his wife and daughter. Though she was a young woman of twenty-two, Buffy had cried like a child when Daddy left and didn't come back. She'd seen him on just three occasions since he and her mother decided to divorce, all of which he'd spent apologising and promising to make it up to her. His answer to fixing a problem - throw money at it till it goes away. Though Buffy knew that's what had happened here, she didn't like to think of it that way. Daddy knew she wanted to be a woman of business and so he'd bought her a successful night-club in the nearby town of Sunnydale. The owner had decided he was too old for the club scene and had coined in enough cash he could afford to live quite comfortably after the sale.

Buffy was starting to wonder if she wanted to be part of this particular scene that Rupert 'Ripper' Giles had recently left. If all the people were like the four she'd just met, or rather two of the four, she didn't think she was going to like it much.

She glanced up at the stage they'd been on, walking around to the stairs and going up onto it. She looked down at the dancefloor and imagined it packed with people, thought how great it must feel to be up there and have all those people cheering for you. Perhaps that was why Spike and his friends seemed to think they were so important, because a bunch of drunken teens screamed delightledly and whistled loudly when they made their noise that they called music.

With a sigh Buffy walked off down the back of the stage, past the curtains, and spotted Spike's guitar abandoned by the door that led out into an alley. She could hear him yelling but he seemed to be the only person in the conversation, if one could call it that.

Pushing on the door and stepping outside she saw him pacing agitatedly at the other end of the alley, a cigarette between the fingers of his right hand, his left holding a cellphone to his ear.

"I tell you, Ripper, if she was a bloke I'd've ripped her bloody lungs out, stupid bint!" he cursed and yelled at the older man on the other end of the line, "Yes, I get that you couldn't handle this place forever but sellin' it to a bitch like her? She'll be the downfall of a great club I'll tell you that for nothing!" he continued and Buffy looked on, her face hardening with anger at what he was saying about her.

"I don't give a sod if her father's the King of the World, Ripper, you know what this place means to me...yeah, I know, but how the bleedin' hell could I have bought it. You know the state of my cashflow, flowin' straight down the soddin' drain" he sighed, taking a long drag on his cigarette as Giles spoke.

"Me get along with her?" he almost laughed at the concept his friend put to him, "S'like askin' a vampire to go on a no-blood diet" he snorted, but seemed to give up the fight anyway, "Whatever, I oughta get goin' anyway. Talk to ya soon, mate" he said his goodbyes and hung up the phone, taking one last drag from his cigarette before flicking it to the ground and crushing it under the heel of his Doc Marten boot. As he turned to go back inside he came face to face with a pissed off Buffy, arms folded over her chest and eyes flashing with anger.

"How long have you been standing there?" he asked, standing toe to toe with her.

"Long enough" she told him icily, "What's the matter Spike?" she spat his name, "Intimidated by a female boss?" she asked him.

"M'not intimidated by anyone, luv" he replied seriously, "Least of all some high and mighty rich kid who's only here cos Daddy would rather spend cash than time" he said nastily.

Reacting before she thought it through, Buffy's hand came up and slapped him round the face for that. Spike grabbed her wrist before her arm made it back to her side.

"Let go of me" she ground out, trying to pull herself free. He was surprised at how much he had to tighten his grip to keep her from escaping, and his face stung like hell where she'd struck him. Still, she might be strong, but he was stronger, and at this point the physical part of that strength was the least important.

"You're goin' to regret getting on the wrong side of me, sweetheart" he told her with a smirk, "I'm goin' to enjoy makin' your life hell, y'know that?"

Finally he let her pull her arm free as he walked past her. He got as far as the door when she called to him.

"What're you gonna do?" she said smartly, "Rip my lungs out?"

"Nothing so unpoetic, luv" he smirked as he pushed the door open, "You'll just have to wait and see" he told her, leaving the question she'd posed mostly unanswered as he disappeared into the building.

Buffy was too surprised to follow him immediately and by the time she ventured back into the club Spike and his guitar were gone.

_To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N : Seems like this is going to be another popular fic, and that makes me happy. You reviewer types are very cool for taking the time to leave nice comments. I decided I wanted to do a hate to love kind of thing with this story, and I think it'll work, I mean, look at what a bitch Buffy was in Season 6, and Spike still loved her. This story is kind of BtVS and AtS, proven by the introducton of Doyle in this chapter. If you never watched 'Angel', I hope my using one of the main characters from that show will not make you want to stop reading, I just love that guy and need him for another plotline later. Enough rambling now, hope you all enjoy the second chapter...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 2

"C'mon, man" Doyle sighed, swigging from his bottle of beer, "The lady cannot be that bad"

"First off, she is not a bleedin' lady" Spike told his friend from the other fake-leather recliner, "Second, she's completely off her bird and so stuck up her own ass that us lower beings are nothing but dirt under her feet"

The Irishman stared at him a smirk playing on his lips.

"She's a stunner, ain't she?" he realised.

Spike did not get this wound up about a woman unless she was a major-league hottie and/or she refused to sleep with him even if he spent a lot of time and effort on her.

"Didn't notice" Spike shrugged his answer, concentrating on the drink in his hand and the re-run soccer match on the TV that was getting very little attention on the whole. Doyle nearly spat beer everywhere at his friends blatant lie.

"William Blackstone, you are a class A liar and no mistake" he declared, "The day you don't automatically rate a woman out of ten on first sight is the day I give up the black stuff" he swore, tipping the bottle in his hand at him before taking a long drink.

Spike smirked in spite of himself.

"Okay, eight, maybe eight and a half if she wore somethin' decently sexy" he admitted, "Might even clock nine if she lost the damn attitude"

"Any advance on nine?" Doyle joked, laughing as his friend threw an empty chips bag at him.

"You can decide for yourself when you meet her" Spike reminded the Irishman, "Ripper promised we'd all keep our jobs for a minimum of three months, excluding proper sackable offences" he explained, "That was part of the deal when he sold the club. Don't know that I wanna hang around working for Little Miss Priss though"

"You know you could never leave the Bronze behind, besides she'll be alright" Doyle decided, despite the fact he'd yet to meet the girl in question, "She's probably just lashing out cos she's nervous, or maybe just cos she's not used to bein' in charge and it's all gone to her head"

"Maybe" Spike grudgingly admitted, though he was yet to be truly convinced.

* * *

"So this is it" Angel looked a little underwhelmed as he glanced around the Bronze. Buffy watched him as he walked around the area, taking in every aspect as she had done just an hour before.

"Yeah, this is it" she replied, "Club Buffy" she smiled as he turned to look at her.

"It's... great" he said unconvincingly and his fiancée sighed.

"I know it's not the kind of place we would choose to go to socially" she admitted as she walked over to his side, "but it's a business, something I own and that I can run, that I could make a success of"

"You don't really know anything about the club scene, baby" he reminded her.

"I can learn" she was quick to tell him, "Angel, I know I can do this" she said determinedly as he put his arms around her, "I just need to know that you're right behind me"

He smiled as he leaned down to kiss her gently.

"Whatever you wanna do, Buffy, I'll be right here supporting you, you know that" he promised her. She smiled, before they kissed again, only breaking apart when they couldn't bear to be without oxygen any longer.

"So, Miss Summers, Woman of Business" said Angel as he ran his fingers through her hair, "When's the grand re-launch of this fine establishment?"

"Next Saturday" Buffy told him almost sounding like an excited child, "There's really not much that needs changing, the layout is good though I might think about getting some new tables and stuff, oh and I need some new bar staff, Ripper said one of the girls was leaving to have a kid and another one was getting married and moving away, but I got hold of an agency who are sending some people over tomorrow"

"Sounds good" Angel nodded, "You want me to help with the interviewing" he asked, and Buffy looked awkwardly at him.

"Do you mind if I go it alone?" she asked him, "Well, not alone actually but... I kinda thought it might be better if it was me and maybe the head barman cos y'know he'll have the experience to know what to ask and stuff..." she rambled on and Angel jumped in as she paused for breath, knowing that if he waited for her to stop talking they could be there all day!

"Buffy, it's fine" he assured her, "You do whatever you think is right for your club" he smiled.

"My club" she said with a grin, as if she'd just reapplied the impact of what she was saying "This is _my_ club"

* * *

Buffy checked the piece of paper in her hand and then glanced back up at the apartment block in front of her. She's found that half a block from the good side of town was the bad side of town, since there wasn't exactly a lot of town in Sunnydale. She was trying to locate the head barman of her club, and the name she'd been given was Allen Francis Doyle and he apparently lived on the fourth floor of this apartment block.

Buffy was only slightly surprised to find that the elevator had a badly written 'Out of Order' sign on it and the staircase looked in semi-disrepair. Taking a deep breath she hurried up the flights of steps, hoping to make it without breaking her neck, or almost as importantly either of her shoes!

She eventually located apartment twenty and looked distastefully at the decidedly grubby looking door before she knocked.

Inside Doyle was still relaxing in his recliner with another bottle of beer, whilst Spike took a shower. Despite the fact he knew his friend couldn't do it, the Irishman made no move to answer the door when he heard someone knock. When the second rap for attention came, Spike yelled on his way from the bathroom to his bedroom.

"Doyle, man, will you answer that" he urged him, "Bloody banging's givin' me a headache"

"Yes, master" he called back sarcastically as he got to his feet, keeping one eye on the TV as he moved towards the door.

"Er, hi" said Buffy trying to get the young man's attention. He turned when he heard her voice, his eyes starting at her face moving all the way down her body and all the way back up again, much to Buffy's discomfort.

"Hello there, princess" he grinned, "And what might I be able to do for a pretty lady like yourself?" he asked.

Despite her better judgement, the blonde coloured slightly at the compliment.

"I was looking for Allen Francis Doyle?" she told him, and the smile fell from his face.

"Who's askin?" he checked warily.

"Yo, Doyle!" Spike yelled as he appeared from the bedroom before Buffy had a chance to answer, "You seen my other jeans?"

Buffy glanced behind the man in front of her, startled by the sight of the bleached blond she'd met earlier, especially since he was wearing nothing but a towel slung low on his hips and most of his visible skin glistened with water from the shower.

"What the soddin' hell are you doin' here?" he narrowed his eyes when he spotted the blonde at the door, although he liked the fact she couldn't take her eyes of his body.

"I could ask you the same thing" she said when she finally managed to tear her gaze off his semi-naked form, "I came here to see my head barman"

"Well, must be your lucky day, luv" Spike smirked, leaning against the wall by the door, seemingly not caring that the towel covering what shouldn't be seen almost fell off in the process, "You just got a two for one deal"

She looked confused and Doyle decide it was time to wade in before the sexual tension in the room hit dangerous levels.

"Oh, I see, you must be Buffy Summers, new Queen of the Bronze" he smiled, "I'm Doyle, your Prince of the bar staff" he told her, taking hold of her hand and kissing it swiftly, "This here's Spikey, sort of my second-in-command"

"Yeah, you'd like to think so" Spike snorted, slapping his friend across the shoulder, "Truth is me and him pretty much ran the whole place for Ripper. Don't s'pose you'd take kindly to suggestions on how to run your new endeavour though, would you, pet?"

"Er, what he meant to say was, we're at your service, Miss Summers" Doyle told her, shooting a look at his room-mate.

"Meant what I said" Spike assured them in a mumble voice as he headed back to the bedroom to get dressed. Doyle sighed.

"I'm sorry about him, Miss Summers" he apologised, "I dunno where his manners are at these days"

"Please, call me Buffy" she told him with a smile. At least he seemed like a decent human being and eager to impress, "I was actually wondering if you could help me out. Ripper told me we're a couple of bar staff down and I wondered if you'd help me interview the candidates"

"Sure" Doyle responded quickly, always eager to be present if potential barmaids were to be seen. Pretty girls were his speciality, actually he and Spike were both well versed in the topic of beautiful women, and proud to be so, "Give me a time and place, Buffy, and we'll be there, with bells on" he smiled.

"The Bronze, Wednesday morning at nine sharp, that okay?" she asked him.

The Irishman nodded.

"Not a problem" he mock saluted and she turned to go.

Doyle watched her backside disappear around the corner before closing the door and turning to find Spike was right behind him.

"Jeez, man, what're you tryin' to do? Give me a heart attack?" he complained.

"Little Miss Holier-Than-Thou pissed off, has she?" he checked and his room-mate smirked.

"No I stashed her in me room when you weren't looking" he grinned at Spike's expression "Of course she's bloody gone!" he admitted his joke, sitting himself back down in his seat and finishing off his beer, "She wants us to help her interview new barmaids" he explained as Spike disappeared into the kitchen. He got up and followed.

"Sounds like a good time to me" Doyle admitted, "A whole line of pretty girls all handin' in their names and phone numbers on demand" he grinned. Spike shook his head.

"That's bordering on pathetic, Doyle" he smirked "when you need some silly bint to arrange bar staff interviews just so you can pick up girls"

"Hey, I didn't say I needed it" the Irishman complained, leaning in the doorway, "Just said I planned on enjoying it. Come on it'll be fun"

"You expect me to be there?" Spike asked incredulously as he hunted for a clean glass to drink from amongst the ever growing pile of dirty dishes, "No thanks"

"C'mon Spikey, you know you wanna" Doyle teased him, "Besides she wants the head-barman there and half the time that's you as well as me"

Spike leaned against the counter and sighed. The bloke had a point, as he'd told Buffy, between them he and Doyle had pretty much run the Bronze on Ripper's behalf, but could they really stand to work for that silly bint with the attitude problem?

"Go on then, s'pose I'll turn up" Spike rolled his eyes as he downed his glass of water, "but if she starts with me, Doyle, I swear the bitch'll get what she deserves, and make no mistake" he snapped, slamming the glass down and striding from the room.

The Irishman smirked to himself.

"Oh, I've got no doubts about that, Spikey boy"

_To Be Continued...  
_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N : As this chapter will prove I do love to write Buffy and Spike just bitching at each other - almost always of the fun from my perspective. Here's hoping you guys like it too... oh, and make way for another character!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 3

It was three days since Buffy Summers had burst into the Bronze and announced she was ruler of all she surveyed. The club had been closed since then and was due re-open again on Saturday, complete with a few new barstaff and a slightly different layout.

Doyle had commented what a great boss Miss Summers should make, being both a beautiful young woman and willing to pay the whole staff despite the fact they hadn't worked for her yet. Spike of course disagreed but didn't really have any valid reasons why. There was just something about Buffy bleedin' Summers that got under his skin.

Though he assumed that even Spike hadn't realised it yet, Doyle could see what was happening between his friend and the new lady-boss. No two people could sustain the level of sexual tension between them for very long, and it was due to explode in two weeks at a maximum the Irishman guessed. There was either going to be one major-ass fight scene or some kind of marathon shagging session.

He dare not tell Spike exactly what he thought would happen, for fear of flying fists, but he'd hinted at it. Even now as they walked towards the Bronze to help with the interviewing of new staff, he wouldn't let it go.

"Come on, man, give it up already" the Irishman whined, "You want her"

"I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than date that bitch" came Spike's firm reply, "and if you don't shut up going on about it, I'm gonna... rip your throat out!" he threatened with exaggerated venom. Doyle just laughed as they entered the building.

They found Buffy sitting at one of the tables with a folder in front of her and a glass of wine.

"Good mornin' Miss Summers" Doyle smiled politely, "Well, here we are, ready to help you with your interviewing" he grinned, knowing he was really here for the parade of pretty young girls, their bar skills be damned.

"Doyle, please, I told you to call me Buffy" smiled as he came to sit beside her, "Spike" she greeted coolly as he took a seat on her other side. He merely nodded in response and made no effort to look interested in what was going on as he lounged in the chair.

"Okay so we have ten candidates and two places to fill" Buffy informed them, trying to ignore the lazy-looking bleached blond to her right, "The names and copies of their resumes are all there for you so I guess we should get started..."

The morning went fairly well, though Buffy felt that Spike was a little hard on a couple of the less attractive girls. She couldn't really say anything since they were also lacking bar experience and she herself didn't have a whole lot of skill in that field either.

Doyle smiled and winked at every girl from averagely pretty upwards, Buffy noticed with some amusement, but after nine girls it was fairly clear to them all that only one would be properly suitable. That meant it all rested on number ten, or they'd have to go with the best of the bad bunch. Spike moved to fetch himself a second beer and one for Doyle too. He had manners enough to offer Buffy another glass of wine and she was a little surprised but said thank you like she should when he handed it to her.

They all waited for the last girl to come in but when she did, the new owner of the Bronze got a surprise.

"Cordy!" she squealed, a sound that Spike equated to some sort of parrot in distress as she shoved him aside and ran round the table to hug the brunette who'd just walked in.

"Hey Buffy" the girl replied awkwardly, barely returning the embrace. When the blonde pulled away she was frowning a little.

"What's with the outfit?" she asked, seeming to slip back a few years to the time they spent in High School at the sight of her old friend, "Are you auditioning for a play or something?" she guessed.

It was never any secret that Cordelia Chase planned on being a big time Hollywood star when she left High School. Whilst her friends had gone to college to study, Cordy had disappeared to LA to make her fortune and her friends had barely heard from her from that day to this.

"Kind of an audition, yeah" she nodded, looking anywhere except at her old friend as Doyle and Spike shared a confused look.

"It's so great to see you" Buffy grinned once again, "How did you know I'd be here?" she asked.

Spike soon got bored of watching the two young women and their mindless chatter and looked down at the papers in front of him. He caught sight of the name on the final candidates resume and frowned.

"I was told you ran this place now, by the employment agency" Cordy said uneasily and Spike knew why.

"Er, you here for a job, pet?" he guessed, assuming Cordy was short for Cordelia Chase, the name on the paper he held in his hand.

"Shut up, Spike!" Buffy snapped, "Cordy wouldn't be here for..." she trailed off when she noticed the look on her friends face, "You're here for an interview?" she gasped, "Why?"

The Chase family had almost as much cash as the Summers', there was no possible reason Buffy could think of for Cordy to want to be a bartender or a waitress or anything in the realms of manual labour.

"Daddy made a little... mistake, on his taxes" she said softly, looking at the floor, "for the past twelve years" she added and Buffy looked shocked.

"How much did he lose?"

"Everything" was Cordelia's feint reply, "Everything he and Mom had, everything I had... if I don't get a job pretty fast, Buffy, I won't even be able to pay the rent on my scabby apartment" she explained, almost in tears about it.

"Well, I'm sure we can have you work here" Doyle called out, having listened intently to the whole conversation, "Right, Buffy?" he checked with the boss who glanced between the two. Spike glanced at his mate and shook his head, could the guy be any more obvious in his attraction to this chit, he wondered, though right now the more pressing question was just how much of a bitch was Buffy Summers. Would she employ her old friend and get her out of a fix?

"I...I guess" she agreed, "It just seems so weird, I'm gonna be your boss and all"

"It's okay" Cordy nodded, "I can deal. At least I know you'll be a good person to work for, not like the guy in LA that wanted to give me a job" she sighed, rolling her eyes "Total pervert"

"Well, that's settled then" Buffy smiled, "Welcome to Team Bronze"

'Team Bronze?' Doyle and Spike mouthed to each other, that was just disturbing.

* * *

It was Friday afternoon and everyone was working hard to get the Bronze ready for the next night's grand re-opening. Spike was bottling up at one end of the bar whilst Doyle followed Cordelia round like a bad smell, desperate for her attention which she didn't seem to keen to give. The bleached blond smiled and shook his head. His room-mates sole topic of conversation for the past two days had been Miss Cordelia Chase. There was only so many times Spike needed to hear a run down of the bints finer points, despite the fact she was decently sexy. Though everyone knew he could have any girl he wanted, Spike was not the long haul guy, not since he'd got burnt by Drusilla. The trouble this Cordelia had been through and the fact she was an old mate of Buffy's meant she probably wasn't the one night of fun type and besides it'd be a cold day in hell before Spike went after a girl he knew his friend had an interest in. You didn't screw over your mates, that's just the way it was.

"You gonna stand there all day or actually do some work?" Buffy snapped when she caught him staring off into space. His eyes re-focused and he saw her standing there, hands on her hips and eyes glaring.

"Actually I thought just standin' here might be fun" he told her sarcastically, before going back to his work. Buffy's eyes narrowed further at the back of his head.

"You really should do something about that attitude problem" she said, almost threatening him and Spike smirked as he turned back to glance at her.

"Don't have a problem with it, luv" he told her, "I happen to like my attitude"

"Well I don't appreciate it" Buffy said, voice rising a couple of decibels, "So learn to control your tongue" she said smartly before turning on her heel and walking away. She'd barely got two steps when Spike called after her.

"You want demonstrations on how well I control my tongue, you've only got to ask, pet" he replied a little too seriously. He was a little disappointed when she didn't turn back just stormed off across the club, probably to yell at some other poor git that'd put a circular table down the wrong way round or whatever.

"Silly bint" Spike muttered to himself, determined to hate the woman, although a few thoughts so far from hate ran through his mind right now. Where the hell had that line come from about showing off his tongue skills? Like he'd ever put any part of his anatomy anywhere near her by choice, and as if she'd let him if he wanted to, which he didn't, he told himself sternly. So lost in thoughts and counter-thoughts was Spike that he really didn't notice his friend arrive at the club, til he was standing right by the bar and said his name. The bleached blond had been crouching down to the shelves below the bar top and consequently smacked his head as he tried to get up too fast.

"Xander, you bloody moron!" he complained, rubbing the sore spot in his hair, "What the soddin' hell d'you think you're playin' at. Sneaking up on people like a bleedin' stalker"

"Okay first, I didn't sneak, I just walked" the brunette told him, counting points on his fingers, "Second, geez Spike could you get more British curse words in one sentence, and third, why on Gods green earth would I wanna stalk you, man?" he asked, wide-eyed and Spike smirked at that.

"Yeah, well" he rolled his eyes, "Just bloody startled me is all"

"I noticed" Xander tried not to laugh, "I came to see if you asked her yet?"

"Asked who what?" his friend checked, pretending not to know as he turned his back on him and checked the bottles on the shelves behind him.

"Er, your new boss lady Buffy?" Xander prompted like he was stupid, "About us playing here tomorrow for the big re-opening shindig?"

"No" Spike admitted, "I didn't"

"Spike, come on, man" came his friends whiney voice, "We've had a regular spot here for months, and first refusal on most of the major gigs" he reminded him, "I don't see why we should lose that just cos Ripper sold this place to some girl"

"She's some girl alright" Spike rolled his eyes as he leaned on the bar to talk to his friend, "Bloody pain in my ass too, I can't do anything right Xan... not that I'm trying all that hard" he admitted, "The chit just infuriates me, thinkin' she's so high and mighty, when in actual fact she knows squat about running a decent night-club"

"So tell her how" Xander urged, "Tell her us playing here means guaranteed success for her party, tell her anything, just get us the gig!" he said frantically.

"Alright mate, for God sake breathe" Spike smirked as the brunette started to turn colours, "I s'pose I can try having a word with Little Miss Tightly-Wound, no promises mind"

"That's the positive thinking that I'm looking for" Xander said sarcastically, "I'll come back in a couple of hours, see what she said" he added as he slapped Spike on the shoulder and went for the door.

The bleached blond looked across the room and saw Buffy gesturing emphatically at the guys lugging tables about. What was it with the woman and her design plans? It wouldn't make a blind bit of difference if the tables were on the left or the right, or whether they had four stools round them or five, and yet this was the sixth time since lunch she'd had the poor blokes shift it all around. He sighed and decided it was now or never if he was going to ask her about the band playing tomorrow night. They'd managed to sneak in for some practice time without the new boss even knowing, since Spike still had a key and he pretty much knew her schedule for when she would and wouldn't be there. Of course, he wouldn't mention that when he was trying to make her agree to his proposition.

Spike passed by Doyle and Cordy just as the Irishman was using his worst chat up line to date. The girl barely even looked at him and though his friend felt bad for him, he couldn't help but smirk at how pathetic it all really was.

"Why is it so hard for you people to follow simple instructions?" Buffy yelled as the men hurried to shift the tables around again.

"Maybe Bitch-English isn't their first language" Spike snapped behind her and she turned around, eyes full of fury.

"What did I say to you not a half hour ago?" she ground out the question, but the bleach blond wasn't the least bit afraid.

"Er, something suggestive about tongues, wasn't it, pet?" he said evenly, loving the way she tried to stay angry but was obviously a little embarrassed too. He wondered exactly what she'd say to that, but she seemed to ignore his main comment focusing on something else.

"I am not your pet" she told him in no uncertain terms, "Or your luv or any of your other quaint and entirely annoying little names you use for your many whores"

"Now listen here" Spike snapped, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back when she made to leave, "I dunno what sort of bloke you think I am, and frankly I don't much care, but I am not some sort of man-slut and I don't pick up desperate tramps" he told her, intense gaze unwavering as his eyes locked on hers. Buffy was too stunned at first to react, but soon got over it and pulled her arm free from his grasp.

"Don't touch me" she said in a low voice and Spike's anger dissipated as he stifled a chuckle.

"Believe me, pet" he said emphasising the name he now knew she hated and would use more often just to aggravate her, "Wouldn't touch you for all the bloody tea in China"

She didn't answer that. Despite the fact that was what she wanted, she was a little hurt to think that he didn't even think she was attractive enough to want her. His good opinion of her figure or any other part of her should be irrelevant, but no girl liked to be told by any man, no matter how undesirable, that they themselves were not even worth touching.

Buffy turned to walk away but stopped dead in her tracks when Spike spoke her name, her actual name not pet or luv this time.

"What?" she snapped, glancing back at him, fire in her eyes.

Spike stared for a moment, knowing he was supposed to ask her about the band, but finding he couldn't bear to take a favour from her. He'd sooner boil his own head than need her help, stupid cow.

"Forget it" he muttered as he turned to go back to the bar, leaving a slightly confused Buffy staring after him.

_To Be Continued..._


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N : I guess some of you don't like reading the fighting and bitching between Buffy and Spike as much as I like writing it. What can I say? Oops? Some people are still reading and reveiwing though so I take that as a good thing. Hope you'll all stick with this a while longer, but if you don't like it, don't read it. I wouldn't want to waste anybody's valuble time or anything...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 4

"Yo Spike!" Xander called as he re-entered the club. It was pretty late on Friday and still the Club wasn't ready for the re-opening the following night. Everyone was doing what they could to help though it didn't stop Buffy looking panicked.

"So, you talk to the boss-lady about the gig?" Xander asked as he came over to his friend.

"Er, haven't really had the chance, mate" Spike half-lied, "She's been runnin' round in circles all day as if her ass was on fire" he gestured to Miss Summers who was moving across the floor at a rate of knots, yelling at somebody else for not doing precisely what she'd said.

"Clock ticking, Spike, my man!" his friend gestured wildly at the watch on his wrist, "We don't prove to her now that we're the band she needs for her club, we're screwed"

Spike knew he was right, and he really didn't want to lose this place as the band's regular haunt. They had a good fan-base at the Bronze, but there was nothing to say they'd follow if they had to find another place for their act. Besides, the club was his second home, he loved the place too much to want to leave for any reason, least of all Buffy bleedin' Summers and her attitude problem.

"Seemed to like you better than me before anyway" he told Xander as he lugged crates across the room, "Why don't _you_ ask the bint if you're so bothered?"

"Fine" the brunette nodded, "If you're gonna take that attitude, I will do it myself. Leave it to the Xan-man"

Spike rolled his eyes as his mate attempted some kind of sexy walk over to where an exasperated Buffy was looking around for her next victim, or so it seemed.

"Hey, excuse me" Xander said politely, tapping her on the shoulder, "Miss Summers?"

"Do I know you?" she frowned as she turned to him, "Oh right, guy with the band, yes?"

"Yeah, that would be me" he agreed, "I'm band-guy" he grinned, "Although I usually go by my actual name which is Xander, Alexander Harris, but Xander" he said nervously, holding out a hand for her to shake.

"Okay then, Xander" she nodded, a little amused by his apparent excitability, "What can I do for you?"

"It's actually kinda what I can do for you" he told her, following the blonde across the room and sitting down when she did, "Y'know we're pretty popular around here, we meaning the band" he explained, "People hear The Bronze, they think The Chosen and vice versa"

"Is this going somewhere?" she asked with a look, "I mean, there's a point to the rambliness, right?"

"Oh yeah, totally" Xander assured her, "Point is, just cos management here has changed, we were kinda thinking, well hoping, kinda suggesting that maybe you'd want us to still play here, for all your big events? For example, your grand re-opening?" he said hopefully.

A frown creased Buffy's brow and Xander felt sick. She was going to say no to his proposition, not that he wasn't used to good-looking women turning him down in many different ways but this mattered so much, and to more people than just himself.

"I don't understand" she said as he held his breath, "I thought you guys had a contract to play here?"

"Contract?" Xander squeaked, coughing and repeating it in a more manly tone, "What contract was that?"

"The way Ripper told it you pretty much came as part of the deal" she explained, "Of course I didn't know what kind of music you played then" she said with a look of some distaste, and a weird emphasis on the word 'music' as if she barely classed the sound they made as that, "Still, you had a deal with Ripper and that contract, paper or not, still stands, for now at least" she told a highly relieved Xander, "I figured you knew that"

"Not so much" he admitted, "but thanks for clearing that up"

"No problem" she smiled at him as she got up, "Now I really have to go, I'm surrounded by imbeciles" she sighed, chasing after a delivery guy that had dumped some unidentifiable box in the doorway and was trying to disappear.

"So?" Spike asked, appearing behind his friend with such stealth he made the boy scream with surprise, "What'd the bitch say?"

"We're on" Xander grinned, looking over at Spike, "'The bitch' is really not so much when you talk to her like a human being" he commented and the bleached blond rolled his eyes.

"I'll leave the over-polite little lost puppy routine to you, Xand" he told him, slapping him on the back, "I got my own style"

"Don't we know it" Xander said to himself as his friend walked away.

He was fairly certain it was more than a clash of styles that led to the bitchiness from Buffy and long flow of curse-words and insults from Spike. Those two liked each other, they maybe didn't want to but they did, and it was going to be real interesting watching the whole thing from the sidelines.

* * *

"_Go home little girl, we don't want you here_" Spike sang to himself, playing the chords on his guitar as he sat with his feet up in the office. Technically it was the manager's office but the last few months Ripper had spent less and less time at the club and Doyle and Spike had made it their own. It hadn't really occurred to Spike, when inspiration struck, that he probably shouldn't be sitting in what was now Buffy's office writing a song when she was paying him to work. On the other hand perhaps it had occurred to him, then that was half the fun, he smirked to himself as he scribbled down what he'd just played and started over.

_"Sick of hearing your name y'know  
__How you charm them all I'll never know  
__You drive me crazy, and that ain't good  
__Not listenin' to me? Well I think you should..."_

Buffy stood outside her office door listening to the noise emanating from within. Okay so maybe it wasn't so much of a noise when it was just Spike playing unplugged. He had a nice voice, she had to admit that. If she hadn't have heard him curse when he hit the wrong note she might not have guessed it was the annoying Englishman at all. Still, the words she was hearing now didn't impress her at all and only served to remind her what a complete jerk Spike really was, and now he had the nerve to take over her office!

_"Go home little girl, we don't want you here  
__Don't want your smiles, no crocodile tears  
__You're a devil woman and you don't belong..."_

"And bloody hell I got no more words for this song" Spike gave up singing when he ran out of lyrics and none sprang to mind. Good thing too, since he'd got himself an impromptu audience of one.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Buffy snapped from the doorway, arms crossed over her chest and an angry look on her face.

"I'm dancing the Viennese Waltz" he replied with a smirk, "What do you think I'm doing, you silly bint?" he rolled his eyes heavenward, putting the guitar down on the desk and lighting a cigarette.

"I think that you're one step away from joining the line to the nearest employment agency" she said, walking to the other side of the desk and leaning over it at him, "I also think you're a rude, arrogant jerk that really ought to learn some manners before I lose my temper"

Spike blew out smoke from his cigarette before putting his hands on the desk and leaning over it just like she was.

"You wanna know what I think?" he asked, their faces incredibly close and neither willing to back down, "I think you're bloody sexy when you're pissed off" he smirked, completely confusing her. She fought the blush that wanted to rise in her cheeks at his sudden compliment, she was almost certain he was lying anyway.

"I don't care what you think" she said eventually and he stood back to look at her, finishing off his fag and putting it out in the ashtray on the desk.

"Suit yourself, luv" he shrugged, picking up his guitar and pieces of paper he'd been scribbling on before.

"I don't want you in this office again without my permission" Buffy called behind him as he reached the door, "Are we clear?"

"Oh, we're clear, pet" he assured her, smirking still, "Crystal clear"

As he left, closing the door behind him, Buffy swore she heard him laugh at her. God, nobody could bug her quite like this Spike guy could, and she hated that he had such an affect on her. She was under enough pressure as it was, without him being a constant source of aggravation. Still, putting up with him until he got over himself was easier than firing him. Ripper had made it very clear that Spike and Doyle were two men that were pretty much indispensable to The Bronze, and she dare not risk letting either of them go.

A knock on the door was met by an angry 'Go away' which was swiftly ignored by the woman on the other side.

"Well, somebody sounds a little cranky"

Buffy whirled around at the sound of her best friends voice with a grin on her face.

"Willow" she said, hugging the red-head, "Oh my God, when did you get back?"

"Yesterday morning" the other woman admitted, "but what with the jet-lag and all I slept a pretty long time. Then I heard that our Miss Summers had got herself a night-club and I came a-rushin' on over" she grinned.

"It's so great to have you back, Will" Buffy sighed, "I've been going crazy with no-one to talk to"

"You had Angel" her friend reminded her before frowning, "You did still have Angel, right?"

"Oh yeah, Angel and me, of course" Buffy nodded, "but y'know sometimes you need another girl to talk to and...Will, you've been my best friend since we were kids, you're practically like a sister to me. To go three months without being able to talk to you at all, it was just awful"

"I'm sorry, sweetie" the red-head sighed, touched by her friends kind words, "Still, I had a great time in Europe, did some healing"

"I'm sorry, Will, really I was being all selfish-girl" Buffy reprimanded herself, "You needed time away to get over everything and I understand that"

Willow had never had a very good relationship with her parents, since they were barely interested in her and felt that money and gifts were perfect substitutes for time and affection. Still when a car crash had claimed both their lives it had hit the kindly red-head too hard and she'd decided to leave Sunnydale for a while, travel some and get her head together.

"Well, now I'm back and very glad to have made it in time for your grand opening tomorrow" she grinned, sitting down on the edge of the desk, "You looking forward to it?"

"I dunno" Buffy shrugged, "I think so, it's just, it turns out this working hard is hard work"

"But there are up-sides to your own club, right?" her friend checked, "I mean, if nothing else, that was some hottie I just passed on my way in here" she said with a look and Buffy's eyes went wide.

"Willow Rosenburg, tell me you weren't checking out my staff on the way in here?" she gasped in mock-horror.

"Oh come on, the bleached blond guy with the guitar?" Willow giggled, "Who doesn't like a little monster in their man now and then?"

"Spike?" Buffy almost laughed at the implication that that particular guy was anything like a hottie. Still, maybe if he lost the attitude and treated people with some respect he'd be okay. He was good-looking she had to admit, and when he'd been up close to her before she'd noticed his eyes were a beautiful shade of blue. She shook her head and tuned back into what Willow was saying to her. So Spike was kind of hot, it didn't matter to her. She had more important things to worry about, not least of all the grand re-opening of the Bronze which was now less than twenty-four hours away.

_To Be Continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N : I'm so glad you guys are willing to keep on reading through the lack of Spuffy when all they seem to do is bitch at each other! Hey, to actually seems like you enjoy the arguments, so that's cool. I do assure you that eventually there will be a happy Spuffy ending, emphasis on the 'eventually'!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 5

'_Don't wanna know what you did wrong  
__I've lived in your fake world so long  
__It won't change the way I feel  
__I don't care if it's not real_

_You told me once, you told me twice  
__I didn't hear a word!_

_Lie to me, baby, tell me anything untrue  
__Just can't bear the honesty from you  
__Lie to me, honey, tell me it's okay  
__Save the heartbreak for another day'_

As The Chosen prepared to launch into the next verse of Lie To Me, Spike suddenly found he was without some much needed volume for his guitar.

"What the bloody hell?" he cursed looking at his mates who also seemed to have a problem, "You!" Spike boomed through the microphone as he spotted Buffy emerging from the gloom below. She stood before the stage, arms folded over her chest, not the least bit phased by the dirty looks she was getting from both Spike and Faith.

"Maybe now you'll be able to hear me when I talk" the blonde snapped.

"Well, maybe you could have just waited til we'd finished the song, pet" Spike shot back, emphasising the little name he knew annoyed her.

"I don't have time to listen to you people make noise" she rolled her eyes, "Although I'm trusting Mr Giles' by letting you play here for the customers, it doesn't mean I have to like your so-called music"

"You stopped us playin' to tell us you don't like the song?" Faith asked incredulously, "Newsflash Blondie, not caring so much"

"Faith!" Xander reprimanded. She just gave him the finger for daring to snap at her.

"I actually stopped you to talk about tonight" Buffy explained, "It's kind of a big deal that it goes well, which means I want you all on your best behaviour. You will not show me up in front of my friends or any of the patrons of this establishment. I am your boss, I pay you to be here, and you will show me some respect" she told them clearly. Spike and Faith looked particularly aggravated but what could they do? They needed the Bronze, and loved it too much to give it up even if they didn't.

"Right, fine, best behaviour, whatever" Spike rolled his eyes, barely keeping is temper in check "That agreed, you think you could put the power back on so we can get to rehearsing?" he asked the blonde with a tilt of his head, "Can't very well be at our best for your big deal of an opening if you don't let us get our practise in, can we?"

Buffy didn't say a word, just flounced back the way she'd come, flipping the switch back to on as she went.

"You don't think you were a little harsh?" Willow asked from the door where she'd been watching the whole scene.

"Harsh?" Buffy scoffed, "Will, it's the only way I can get them to understand me" she told her friend as they left the club.

They were going to grab something to eat and then get changed for the big party that would start in just a few hours. Buffy was grateful to have her best friend back at her side as of yesterday. It made things a little easier to handle, since Angel had been very busy with work and his family and had little time for her and her club.

"He's still gonna be there tonight though, right?" Willow checked and Buffy nodded.

"Oh yeah, definite show-up-age tonight" she said, "He'd never let me down"

* * *

"Angel, don't do this to me!" Buffy complained into the phone, "I accepted you'd been too busy to help me out these last couple of days, I can even accept you being late to my very important Grand Opening, but you cannot expect me to be okay about you not showing at all"

"Baby, I'm sorry" Angel tried to placate her, "You know I really wanted to be there, and I would be if I could, but this business trip could make or break my career"

"And the flight just happens to be at the same time as my party" she said grumpily, seriously wondering if it were true or if she was being lied to. She hated herself for thinking he would be unfaithful or anything, but Buffy had major trust issues with men after her father's betrayal of her Mom. Angel was a great guy, there was no real reason to think he'd mess her around, she was just so disappointed that he wouldn't be at her side tonight of all nights.

"It was a last minute thing" he continued to explain, "This was supposed to Lindsey's gig, but he took a fall down some stairs and did some serious damage to his leg, there's no way he can fly tonight. Miss Mackenzie asked me to go in his place and I'd be an idiot to say no"

"Miss Mackenzie?" Buffy echoed softly, feeling sick, "You mean Darla?" she asked, swallowing hard.

Darla MacKenzie was older than her by a good four or five years, but age difference not withstanding the two young women were very similar. Both blonde, both beautiful, both big fans of Angel. Darla had been jealous of Buffy for years. So used to snapping her fingers and having things just go her way thanks to Daddy's millions, Angel was one thing that hadn't come easily, instead of Darla he'd chosen to date Buffy Summers.

Determined to get her way, Darla made a big deal about getting a job at Daddy's law firm, a favour she was granted and as such she was Angel's boss on a technicality. Buffy trusted her boyfriend, but she didn't trust Miss Mackenzie, especially not if they were going on a business trip alone together.

"You know she means nothing to me, Buffy" Angel assured his girlfriend, "I love you"

"I love you too" she replied, "Doesn't mean I like the fact you're not going to be here tonight"  
"I don't like it either" he told her, "but I know you'll do just fine without me there"

The couple said their goodbyes and hung up shortly afterwards.

Buffy sighed deeply and sat down in the chair behind her desk, checking her watch. One hour and the party started, she had to prove she could manage a club and do it well, and now she had to do all that without the support of the man she loved.

The door swung open startling her from her thoughts and she glanced up to see Spike in front of her.

"Don't you knock?" she snapped angrily.

"Er, no, not usually" he smirked back at her, but not for long as he noticed her eyes were glassy with tears, "What's up with you?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant as he tilted his head and stared at her.

"Nothing" she said, rummaging through her bag to find a mirror, "It's none of your business" she told him coldly as she checked her appearance, forced her tears back and made sure she still looked presentable.

"Suit yourself, luv" Spike shrugged, "'S not like I care" he reminded her, wondering why he'd even bothered to ask. Like he said, it wasn't as if he cared at all.

"Was there a reason you came in here, Spike?" Buffy asked, snapping her compact mirror shut, putting it back in her bag and standing up from her seat.

"I was just... bloody hell" his sentence took a complete change of course as she walked around the desk and he got a proper view of her whole body. She wore a short, figure-hugging back dress that covered everything at the front but left much of her back exposed, as well as showing off her legs. Before all he'd ever seen her wear was tailored pants and jackets, always smart but never really sexy. Now he was having trouble forming words.

"Spit it out, Spike, I don't have all night" she complained when he went silent on her.

"I, er, I was just gonna tell you the band and me, we're gonna go get changed and everything, we'll be back in plenty of time" he said, eventually finding his voice, attempting to keep his eyes above her neck where it was safe and finding it almost impossible.

"Okay" she nodded, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze "Don't be late"

"Wouldn't dare, boss" he smirked at her obvious discomfort before turning to leave. Okay so the bint was an infuriating cow most of the time. Didn't mean a fella couldn't enjoy the view, right?

* * *

"Okay, what did you say this time?" Doyle asked as Spike walked over to the bar where his friend was polishing up glasses.

"What're you yammering about?" the bleached blond asked him.

"You've got that big smirk on your face there" the Irishman pointed out, "Which means you either threw our Miss Summers over the desk and had your way with her, which is unlikely since you were gone less than two minutes, or you said something bloody nasty and made the poor girl cry"

"You really think I'm some sort of bastard, don'tcha Doyle?" Spike said, feigning hurt but finding it hard to keep his smirk at bay.

"Hey man, you're like a brother to me" his friend assured him, "Best friend I ever had, but there is no way in hell you got through a whole conversation with the boss, however short, without saying something to upset her"

"Didn't say a bloody word" Spike said honestly, "Nothin' to make her cry anyway, seems someone else beat me to it"

"She okay?" Doyle frowned.

"I dunno, heard some yellin' and then some soppy 'I love you' crap right before I went in there" Spike shrugged, "Reckon maybe there's a boyfriend or whatever that's let her down" he commented, glancing back towards the door he'd just come out of, "Still, gotta admit, your first suggestion wasn't bad"

"What did I suggest?" Doyle thought aloud, replaying the conversion in his head.

"Bit about having a go with 'our Miss Summers'" he air quoted, "Looks pretty decent in her little black number" he admitted.

"Pretty decent, huh?" Doyle smirked, "Pretty decent like an eight or a nine out of ten?" he checked.

"Put it this way" Spike smirked as he got up from the stool he'd been perched on and headed for the exit, "If I didn't hate her so damn much, I'd still be in that office... door firmly locked" he said with a look that conveyed his full mentioning.

Doyle laughed as he watched his friend walk away. He shook his head at the ridiculous situation. It was so obvious that Spike and Buffy were attracted to each other, despite the fact they fought like cat and dog at very opportunity. Nobody could keep up that kind of fighting on a daily basis if they didn't feel something deep for each other.

* * *

"Hello Sunnydale!" Faith yelled from atop the stage as she grabbed the mike from the stand and walked up and down in front of the crowd, "In case anybody missed the frickin' huge banners in here" she grinned, "This is the Grand Re-Opening bash for The Bronze, and before you all start having a big-ass panic about what's been changin' around here, I'm here to tell you one thing has not changed" she said, pausing for effect, before yelling her main point, "The Chosen still rock this joint!"

As the crowd cheered, the lights on the stage went up, revealing the rest of the band all ready to play.

Buffy had watched the whole thing from below with Willow and some other friends at her side. She'd only seen Faith just briefly since the group had left to change earlier, and that was only just to say they were back and ready for when she wanted to open the doors.

As the brunette on stage took her place behind the drum kit, Spike welcomed the whole room to the party and the first song began. Buffy couldn't believe how incredibly hot he looked up there, all in black like he usually was and with this long leather coat that made him look dangerous in a really good way. The music wasn't really to her taste but the crowd went wild for the black-leather clad rockers on the stage.

"They're kinda loud" Willow winced, "but it's not bad"

"Since when did you get an appreciation for punk-type rock songs?" Buffy asked her with a look, realising her friend wasn't looking back at her but instead staring at the guy on stage.

"Since guys like that played it" the red-head sighed, "How hot is he?"

"He's okay" Buffy shrugged, assuming her friend was referring to Spike, "I guess he's kinda hot, if you like Billy Idol or whatever"

"Huh?" Willow frowned finally looking at her friend, "No, no, not him" she made herself clear, "Although he's hot too... the guy on the left of him, playing the other guitar"

"Oh" Buffy said in realisation as her eyes shifted across the stage to Oz.

"He's dreamy" Willow smiled, drifting off into her own little world as she stared at him. Buffy rolled her eyes but was smiling as she did so. Oz had been decent enough to her when she'd first arrived, he wasn't loud and obnoxious like Spike and Faith seemed to be. Still, she wasn't sure he and Will were an obvious pairing, or if she'd really want them to be.

"So, Angel really couldn't come, huh?" Harmony said to Buffy as she sipped her margarita, "That's too bad"

"He had a business trip thing, it's no big" the other blonde shrugged.

"No big?" Glory snapped, "Oh come on, this is like the biggest night of your life, hello!" she reminded her old friend, "The least he could do was send flowers"

Buffy didn't have an answer to that. She knew her friends were right, Angel should've made some kind of effort for her, she always attended all the big events and parties he needed her to go to. Always did the trophy girl thing, hanging on his arm and looking good. Tonight she'd really needed his support of her new venture and he wasn't around.

"Oh my God!" Harmony suddenly squeaked, "Why didn't you tell me you'd got Cordelia Chase working here!" she demanded to know. Buffy glanced over at her friend behind the bar and then back at the one beside her.

"Must've slipped my mind" she replied.

"Oh my God, her Dad is such a screw up" Glory said, getting hand gestury, "I mean, they lost absolutely everything, and now she's living in this scabby little apartment. I mean can you say hovel?"

"It's not Cordy's fault" Buffy defended the girl she always liked better than these two at her side, "She needed a job and I gave her work, there's no shame in that"

"No shame?" Harmony echoed with a look of disbelief, "She's tending bar at a night club" she laughed, "The only worse thing would be table dancing, and at least the outfits are flattering for that"

"Well, you would know" Buffy snapped, storming away from her so-called friend who's mouth opened and closed like a landed fish.

"Buffy!" Willow hurried after her as the blonde slammed her way through to the back office, "Buffy, wait up"

"It's all going wrong, Will!" she complained as she paced the office floor, "This was supposed to be a big break for me, running a business, like my dream, and it's a disaster! I don't know how to run a night-club, Angel couldn't even be bothered to show up tonight, my staff are barely coping and my friends are bitching about each other..."

"Hey, calm down" Willow told her, getting hold of Buffy's arms and stilling her movement, "It's okay. It's just the first night, it'll get better, and as for Harmony, you know what she can be like"

"I know" she sighed, calming down a little, "I don't even think she was my problem. Mostly it's just..."  
"Angel missage?" her friend guessed.

"Yeah" Buffy nodded sadly, "I so wanted him to be here Will, and he promised and then... I'd just feel better if he were here"

"Buffy, don't take this the wrong way but, you can do stuff without him y'know?" she told her friend, "I mean, I get that you wanted him here and all and you guys are all big with the love but... lately it's like you feel you can't do stuff without him"

"It's not that I can't" the blonde shook her head, "I just... I don't want to I guess"

"That's okay" Willow agreed, "but if you're going to be big business lady you're gonna have to do stuff alone sometimes, and I know you can"

"Thanks, Will" Buffy smiled, hugging her, "I'm glad that at least you're here"

"Hey, I'm your best friend" she smiled back "Where else would I be?"

"Chatting to the bass guitarist of The Chosen?" Buffy suggested with a smirk as they walked out of the office again, arm in arm, "I could introduce you when they take a break"

"Really?" Willow checked, her whole face aglow at the prospect. Buffy smiled and nodded a definite yes. If her friend really liked this guy she should at least get a chance to talk to him. Just because his band-mates had some attitude issues, Oz might be a really nice guy, and just what Willow needed right now.

_To Be Continued..._


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N : One kinda short but jam-packed chapter for your reading pleasure...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 6

"Alright folks, we're taking a break now" Spike told the cheering crowd from his position on the stage, "but don't go anywhere, we'll be right back"

As the band hopped down from the stage, Oz caught Spike's attention.

"Hey man, you know who that girl is?" he asked, "The one with Buffy?"

"Dunno, mate" Spike shrugged, looking uninterested, "Another stuck up bint I'd wager, only with red hair instead of blonde" he suggested with a smirk

Just as the bass guitarist was about to reply he realised said red-haired girl and Buffy were moving across the floor towards him.

"Hey, Oz" the blonde smiled, glad that Spike had walked away already, "You guys are pretty good"

"Thanks" Oz nodded, "I mean I know you probably actually hate our sound but, thanks" he smirked and Buffy smiled too at being caught out.

"Er, this is my best friend, Willow" she introduced, encouraging the red-head to come forward, "Will this is Oz"

"Hey" they both said far too shyly and Buffy rolled her eyes. Her best friend she had expected this from, she'd been the same way around guys since they were kids, all shy and giggly, especially when she liked someone. She really hadn't expected a so-called cool rocker guy like Oz to be the bashful type, but then she hadn't talked to him much.

"Ooh, looks like I'm needed" Buffy lied, pretending she'd heard her name be called from the bar, "You two talk, get acquainted, and I'll see you later" she smirked triumphantly as she walked away, but Spike intercepted her half way to the bar.

"Playing match-maker are we, pet?" he asked her, "Too bad your own fella couldn't be bothered to show" he smirked.

"You don't know anything!" Buffy snapped back, mindful of how loud they were speaking when surrounded by the paying customers of her club. She made to walk away, but Spike followed her towards he bar.

"Know more than you think, luv" he told her, "Know your bar staff aren't gonna cope too much longer, and your stocks goin' down too fast. Give it a few hours you're gonna be turning folks away" he told her simply. Buffy looked across the club and realised there definitely were way too many people for the men and women behind the bar to cope with and a limit too how much they had of certain beverages.

"I guess I could call in some of the other guys" Buffy sighed, leaning on the edge of the bar and putting her face in her hands briefly, "Why did I think I could run a bar?" she asked herself, momentarily forgetting that Spike was standing there.

"Beats me, pet" he answered for her, wondering why despite everything he felt a little bad for her right now. She may be a silly, stuck-up rich bitch, but she really had worked bloody hard on this opening bash and it wasn't really her fault it was going a bit wrong, she'd had very little help from anyone.

He knew he should've pointed out sooner that he didn't think she'd rostered enough staff on for tonight, or that she hadn't ordered enough beer and such, but everytime he thought about it he'd hear her yell at some innocent bystander or something and he changed his mind about being helpful and nice to her.

Right now she looked so young and a little lost, and before he knew what he was doing he was actually playing nice for once.

"Tell you what, luv" he sighed, "Next break in the set I'll jump behind the bar for while, and I'll help you clean up tonight" he told her, "Might even be able to get you some extra crates of beer from a bloke I know..." he said thoughtfully, as he realised it might be a feasible plan.

"You...You're helping me?" Buffy said uncertainly as she looked up at him, "Why?"

"Not helpin' _you_, pet" he scoffed, finding the idea disgusting despite the fact he was doing just that, "Just don't wanna see this club go down is all, like my second home the Bronze is"

"I'm still grateful" Buffy told him honestly, her hand going over his on the bar top and squeezing it for a second.

"Yeah, well, whatever" Spike said awkwardly retracting his hand, "Don't go gettin' all mushy on me Summers, 's not our style"

"No, it's not" she replied, suddenly looking all business-like once again.

Spike pulled his cellphone from his pocket, planning on heading outside for a fag and to call that mate of his with the beer, when suddenly he turned back with a smirk on his face.

"Y'know somethin' pet? You got one thing right tonight" he said, waiting for Buffy's confused look before he told her, "You look bloody shaggable in that dress"

It surprised Spike somewhat that he didn't even have to lie about that, and he loved the fact he could make Buffy go such a bright shade of red so fast.

Power over others was a wonderful thing, and he'd always had a way with women. Seemed Miss Summers wasn't as immune to his charms as she'd like to be and he liked knowing that. Even though he never planned on getting within five feet of her in any real sense, it was nice enough to know he could have her, if he wanted to.

* * *

"Hey, we told you we'd be back" Faith hollered to the crowd as she arrived back on stage, "Seems the guys have got a little distracted" she smirked at Oz who quickly made apologies to Willow and got back up on the stage, "And since my buddy Spike's gone AWOL, I wanna share a little somethin' with you" she grinned as she put the mic back in the stand and picked up her friend's guitar.

Xander shot her look before sighing and pushing buttons on his keyboard that made the rhythm for the song play, since Faith wasn't drumming on this one. He didn't like what was about to happen, but he also knew arguing with Faith was not an option if he wanted to live to see tomorrow, besides maybe Buffy would find it all amusing, and take it as a joke... hopefully.

The music came together, blaringly loud as always and Willow stood by the edge of the stage trying to tap along as best she could to the din, just so she could look supportive of Oz. He was just as nice as he was hot and she felt like she was falling head over heels already, no matter how crazy that sounded.

On stage, Faith chocked out a few chords before starting to sing.

'_Look at you, think you're oh so fine  
__Not a thing to do besides your hair  
__Cry when things don't go your way  
__Well baby, why should we even care_

_You're a rich-bitch party queen  
__Makin' up your own scene  
__Think the guys will fall at your feet  
__Well, I'm the first class party queen  
__Competition, lookin' mean  
__Get out if you can't stand the heat!'_

Buffy's face was ashen when she realised what the lyrics to this song were about. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Faith's anti-Buffy riff, despite the fact there was no way to really prove it. Just when she'd realised Oz was okay and thought there might actually be some decent aspect buried deep within Spike, Faith proved to Buffy that her first instincts were more than likely right, that the whole band were just nasty pieces of...

"What the bloody hell!" Spike cursed as he appeared beside her in open-mouthed shock as he looked up on the stage. Faith had just finished a second chorus and was making a pretty decent job of a guitar solo on _his _electric guitar! Lyrics be damned he was going to kill the bint for that alone, but he wasn't exactly thrilled by what she'd been singing either. Buffy was a bitch, pure and simple, but she was struggling tonight and the last thing she needed was this kind of abuse. Beside which, she could sack the lot of them for this and the very idea of that made Spike feel sick to his stomach.

As a huge crescendo brought the song to a close, Faith was laughing like a demented hyena, or so Spike thought, and a lone tear was running down Buffy's cheek.

"I hope you're proud of yourself" the blonde spat at Spike as he tried to open his mouth to tell her he had no idea about this, "because you all just became unemployed!" she told him angrily as she stormed off towards her office.

The bleached blond let his temper explode as he went towards the stage, hopping up onto it and covering the mic with his hand as he turned to Faith.

"You stupid bloody bitch, what the hell did you think you were doing!" he asked her, getting right in her face without being so obvious that the crowd knew there was trouble.

"Lighten up, Spikey" Faith told him, rolling her eyes as she took the guitar strap from over her head and held out the instrument to him, "I only borrowed it for one song"

"Not the soddin' guitar you silly little girl!" he cursed, "You just buggered our chances of staying at this club. The whole lot of us are fired"

"No way, man" Xander gasped as he came to join them in the centre of the stage.

The calls from the crowd alerted them to the fact they were having a serious convo in a very public place and it was Oz that noticed first, suggesting they go backstage to continue their talk.  
As they came down the back of the stage and disappeared behind the curtains, Spike really let his anger go.

"I can't believe you!" he almost screamed, "You irresponsible bint!"

"Get out of my face, Blondie!" Faith yelled back, "Or I swear to God..."

"Hey guys, enough" Oz interrupted where Xander would never dare, in fact most people would have been to scared to intervene when Spike and Faith got so angry but Oz wasn't most people, "Now what is this about us losing our gig?" he asked Spike who's eyes never left Faith.

"Seems the boss-lady wasn't too impressed by Faithie's latest tune" he explained with sarcasm aplenty, "Can't think why that is"

"I never said the song was about her" Faith shrugged, "If she assumed then I guess that proves something" she smirked, folding her arms across her chest.

"I swear to God, Lehane, if you were a bloke I'd knock you from here to kingdom come" Spike swore.

"Bring it on, Blondie" Faith urged him until Xander pulled her back. She shrugged his hands from her shoulders, "Screw this!" she declared making for the back door, but Spike grabbed her arm and hauled her back.

"No, you don't get to just walk out and leave us to fix this" he told her, "Not this time. You're coming with me, now, to apologise to Buffy so we can try to make this right"

"Oh yeah, cos I'm gonna do just what you say, Daddy" she said sarcastically, which only served to make Spike more angry.

"You will do what I bloody say" he told her, "Cos if you don't get in there and say you're sorry for upsetting Buffy, I'll do my damnedest to at least save our asses here" he warned her, "If the only way for this band to stay playin' at the Bronze is to get rid of you, then say goodbye Lehane, cos you can and will be replaced"

Never had anyone ever looked as incredulous as Faith did in that moment. Never would she have believed a day would come when one of the band would choose someone else over them.

"You'd drop me from the band, you son of a bitch, just so you could lay Little Miss Priss?" she asked, wide-eyed.

"You are off your bleedin' bird, pet" Spike laughed out loud, "Buffy is the last woman I would ever want to get my jollies with!" he told her, "I am just trying to fix a mess you made so The Chosen might actually stand a chance of staying at the Bronze where we belong. Understand now?" he snapped.

Faith held his gaze for a long moment, loathed to back down but knowing this time she had to. The Bronze was her second home too, and the band were her family.

"Yeah, I get it" she said begrudgingly, "Let's get to giving Miss High and Mighty her apology, before I change my mind" she muttered as she pushed past Spike and the other guys, headed towards Buffy's office.

"Right then" Spike sighed, "Sounds like the natives are getting restless, go keep 'em calm would you boys" he asked the other two, tilting his head towards the curtains, past which girls screamed and the whole crowd demanded The Chosen got back on stage right now.

"You think you can fix this, without losing Faith or the Bronze?" Xander asked as the bleached blond walked by him.

"C'mon, Xand" he smirked, "This is me we're talkin' about here. The Spike Blackstone charm never fails"

_To Be Continued..._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Spike knocked on the office door not waiting for a reply before he barged in, dragging Faith behind him.

"Get out!" Buffy yelled immediately, but Spike just ignored her, shutting the door behind Faith as she pulled her arm from his grasp, telling him in no uncertain terms where to shove himself.

"I knocked, didn't I?" he said to the blonde, ignoring his band mate who he would quite happily flattened into the ground had she been a fellow male.

"When you knock you wait for an answer before you barge in" Buffy snapped at him, desperately scrubbing the tears from her face before they were spotted, of course it was too late for that.

Getting a grip on his anger Spike took a breath and tried to explain.

"Look, pet, the thing of it is, me and the band, we could do with a retraction on the whole fired thing" he told her, "You know how much we wanna stay here"

"You should have thought about that before you made me look like an idiot" she yelled at him, "That was the plan, right? You sweet talk me into thinking you're a half decent human being whilst your friend Gothy McSlut gets lyrical about me?"

"Watch your mouth, B!" Faith yelled, not loving the insult thrown her way and a little surprised that a supposed lady like Buffy had said such a thing.

"How about you watch yours, F!" the blonde retaliated in similar style, "How dare you stand on the stage in _my_ club and say those things about me!" she snapped as the two women squared up to each other, albeit with a desk between them.

"Er, ladies" Spike interjected, despite the fact he knew Faith was so far from being a lady it was untrue, "Maybe we could not have the cat fight right now" he suggested, "As much fun as it'd be for me as a bloke to watch you to go at it, it's hardly the time and the place" he told them, earning a nasty look from both girls.

"You're sick and disgusting" Buffy told him in no uncertain terms, "You and your whole stupid band. Now I said you were fired, and I meant it. So get out of my club!" she all but screamed.

"Fine, not like we can't find another place" Faith yelled back turning towards the door, forgetting all that Spike had said to her in a moment of fury.

"Oh no, you don't" he said as he grabbed her arm and hauled her back from the door, "We came in here to figure this out and we're damn well gonna do it" he said, getting up in her face and pointing a finger at her in the way a parent might do when scolding a child.

"I am _not _apologising to that bitch" she said in a low voice, and Buffy almost laughed. Like she'd ever really expected the brunette to say she was sorry, she really wouldn't have believed her even if she'd said it.

Spike and Faith locked gazes and he stared at her with a look that told her she'd better do the right thing and in the next five seconds or the bleached blond's head might just explode.

With a sigh, Faith switched her looks from angry to sweet and smiley, something that would be truly disturbing if Spike didn't know her so well.

"Y'know what, Spike" she said leaning into him, "You're damn hot when you're mad at me" she smirked and her friend rolled his eyes.

"Try it on someone who doesn't know you inside out, Lehane" he sighed, "and just do as you're told for once, there's a good girl" he told her, shoving her towards Buffy who had spent the last couple of minutes with her back to the pair desperately trying to wipe tears and smudged make-up from her cheeks. She would not let them see how much they'd upset her, she was stronger than them, she really was.

"Er, Buffy" Faith said, making the blonde turn around suddenly.

"Are you still here?" she snapped and Faith bit her lip so she wouldn't answer back and make matters worse.

"Faith here has something to say" Spike said, elbowing the girl in the back, "Don't you, Faithie?" he urged her.

After a long moment the brunette sighed.

"I'm sorry, okay?" she shrugged, looking far from apologetic, "I shouldn't have sung the frickin' song, I get it, I know... but don't kick the whole band out of their home just cos of me, cos that ain't fair" she told Buffy who's eyes switched from the girl to Spike. His own eyes were begging her to say she forgave them, that she'd let them stay at the Bronze, and he'd been so sweet to her before.

"This was all you?" she checked with Faith, "Your song, your idea?"

"Yeah, all me" she agreed, "I got Xand and Oz to go along with it, practically had to twist their arms up their backs and I knew I didn't stand a chance convincing Spike here so I never asked, just did it when he wasn't lookin'" she admitted, eyes going to the ground. Despite her big mouth and bravado, she did look a little ashamed of herself now. Perhaps, Spike thought, the reality was sinking in at last. The fact that she might lose her place in The Chosen and/or the gig at the Bronze, the two things that mattered most to her, that had to have an impact.

"Okay" Buffy said suddenly, causing two pairs of eyes to shift to her face, "This time, I'm gonna let it go" she explained, "Only because The Chosen are so popular, for some inexplicable reason, and because the whole band were not to blame"

"Oh pet" Spike grinned, "You won't regret this"

"Oh I won't" Buffy agreed, "It'll only be you that has regrets if you screw up again. We're talking best behaviour from all of you or else" she told them both, though mostly she looked at Faith.

"You got it, boss" the girl grinned, mock saluting as she headed for the door.

Buffy sat down at her desk and put her face in her hands. It was a rough first night so far and it wasn't over yet. As she took a deep breath and looked up she jumped a little as she realised Spike was still standing there.

"She might not have looked very sincere when she said it" he told her "but Faithie wasn't out to do any major damage, she just likes sounding off is all. Felt like you were treading on her toes a bit I reckon, what with her being sort of the Queen of the club till you came along"

"She's just a kid" Buffy shrugged, "It doesn't matter now" she said, looking so tired suddenly.

"Just a kid" Spike echoed, "Can't be much older than her yourself, pet" he realised as he studied her, head tilted to one side.

"I'm twenty two" she told him, "But it's none of your business and you should never ask a lady her age" she snapped half heartedly and Spike smirked.

"First off, luv, I didn't ask" he pointed out, "Second, if it makes you feel any better about sharing, Faith's twenty, the boys are both your age and I've got a couple of years on the lot of you"

"You being older than me doesn't make me any the less your boss" she pointed out as he smiled at her. The last thing she wanted was him getting the wrong idea, that suddenly because they'd had a couple of civil conversations and she'd allowed the band to stay that they were great friends and she was going to let everything slide.

"Never knew anyone could have an inferiority complex about their superiority complex" he smirked, "But I reckon you might've just managed it pet"

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him.

"When you're done with the psycho-babble" she told him coolly, "I think you have a gig to finish playing, before I change my mind and fire you again"

"Good as gone, luv" Spike assured her, hands up in mock surrender as he backed towards the door. As he disappeared from sight Buffy got out her mirror and make-up to fix up her face before she headed back out to her public. The night wasn't over yet, not by a long shot.

* * *

"I am wiped" Cordy sighed as she sat down heavily on a bar stool by the door she'd just locked, "This job is gonna kill me" she complained as she slipped off her shoes and reached down to rub her foot with her hand. Hours of running up and down behind the bar, serving the public that were in constant need of beverages between dancing and talking had left poor Miss Chase feeling ready to sleep for a week!

"You get used to it, darlin'" Doyle assured her as he swung back behind the bar and poured drinks for her and himself. He dutifully put some money in the register when she gave him a look.

"All that work and you bearly broke a sweat" Cordy noticed, "That's actually kind of amazing"

"Amazin's my middle name, princess" Doyle grinned, "Well, actually it's Francis but I'd appreciate you not tellin' the whole world that one"

Cordy laughed lightly as she sipped her drink. He really was sort of sweet and really seemed to be set on hanging around with her.

"So Allen Francis Doyle" she said, resetting her glass on the bar, "I guess we have some serious cleaning up to do before we go home"

"You guess right, sweetheart" he nodded, "Although, if you wanted to go take a break somewhere for a while, I wouldn't tell, y'know?" he told her.

"Uh-uh" Cordy shook her head, "No way, that's very sweet and everything but I can do my share. I'm a lot tougher than I look" she told him, putting her shoes back on and getting to her feet.

"Well then, get your cute little backside round here and we'll get down to it" Doyle told her, suddenly realising what he'd said, "Er, the cleaning, obviously, nothin' else meant by that at all" he covered quickly.

Cordelia stifled a grin as she came behind the bar and squeezed past him.

"That's almost a shame" she told him before disappearing from his sight. Doyle let out a breath he was hardly aware he'd been holding. She really was a hell of a woman.

Down the other end of the bar, Spike was making fast work of collecting glasses and disposing of empty packets. Buffy watched from across the floor for a while before approaching him. He'd been so great tonight, helping out behind the bar when he wasn't on stage performing, and now staying late to help clean up despite the fact he didn't have to and wasn't getting paid for doing it. He'd got her a new contact that was always good for an extra beer delivery if she mis-ordered at all, and Buffy was convinced tonight would have been a disaster if Spike hadn't been there. Of course she'd never tell him that, she said to herself, as she walked over.

"I think tonight went pretty well" she said as she sat down by the bar, "I could get to love running this place but, seems the clean up is kind of a bitch" she smiled.

"'S not as bad as all that, luv" Spike told her, "'Sides I don't mind bein' here when everyone else has gone. Sort of nice to see the place empty and calm, good for the inspiration too, wrote some of my best songs in this place in the early hours" he told her, gazing thoughtfully off into space.

"Some of your stuff is okay, I guess" she admitted, earning herself an incredulous look, "I guess I'm just not punk-loving girl" she shrugged.

"World'd be bloody boring if we were all the same" Spike replied as he cleaned up around the cash register at the end of the bar, "You want to do the takings or you trust me to do it"

"I'll do it" Buffy said as she got up from the stool, "Not that I don't trust you" she back-pedalled fast, "I mean, I just, I kinda thought it'd be cool to check out the money situation for myself, see how my little business is doing"

"Go for it, luv" he said standing aside as Buffy opened up the register and looked inside.

"My God" she gasped at how much cash there was inside, "We really made a killing in here tonight"

"'S not just tonight, luv" Spike smiled, "Make a pretty penny most nights in here, 'specially when The Chosen play"

"Good job I decided not to fire you then" Buffy smirked as she looked over at him. He was right beside her, looking down at the cash same as she was. It meant a lot to her that her own club could make so much money, but she was used to having everything she wanted, pretty much. She realised then that there really were so many differences between her and Spike, as well as the rest of the staff. They didn't have money like this, it meant a great deal to them.

"Here" she said, reaching into the register and pulling out several bills, "You should have this" she told Spike, pushing the money into his hand.

"What for?" he asked with a frown, "You paid the band already"

"It's not for the singing" Buffy shook her head, "You earned that tonight, helping out behind the bar, and helping me not wreck everything" she smiled, "In the absence of my selfish boyfriend you did pretty good at holding my hand... in the metaphorical sense, obviously" she said almost shyly, looking at the ground until Spike slamming the cash down on the bar made her physically jump.

"You bitch" he snapped when she looked up at him.

"Excuse me?" she gasped, not getting where that was coming from at all.

"I'm not your lackey, Buffy" he told her angrily, "I'm not your butler, or your servent or whatever it is you have at Casa de Summers!" he raved, "Yeah I work here, and my band plays here, and I'll take money for that, it's my job, but I don't want your cash for helping out, for being a friend or apparently a bloody replacement for your absentee other half!" he told her looking quite angry and upset about it.

"I was trying to be nice" Buffy yelled back but Spike shook his head.

"No, you were trying to pay off the hired help" he snapped at her, "Make sure I know my place, cos heaven forbid you and I should actually be mates or anything, y'know one human being helping out another just for the sake of it"

"I never meant to..." she began, suddenly starting to understand what he was saying, "It wasn't supposed to be an insult, I was just grateful"

"Yeah, well, thanks very much Spike would've done" he told her, as he gathered up a couple of bags of trash, "I'll take these out back" he muttered as he disappeared from her sight, still seething. Buffy watched him go and felt ridiculously tearful and stunned.

She and Spike had hated each other on sight, and argued and bickered from day one. Tonight he'd helped her out, she'd accepted that help and more than once they'd actually spoken to each other civilly. He paid her compliments, he handled the bar beautifully, and she really appreciated it. What she realised as she took the crumpled bills back from the bar top was that she'd just done something truly awful despite the fact she had meant to be nice. Thanking someone with cash wasn't the way, that was her father's idea, instead of spending time with her, he spent money. Spike had said that to her the first day they met and it had really hurt, but only because she knew it was true. What she wanted was to be loved and respected, not to be paid off. She guessed Spike felt similar about this situation. He wanted a decent thankyou, and a smile maybe, not money.

"Almost done here, Buffy" Doyle told her as he came down the bar, "I told the rest to go home and I'm gonna give Cordelia a ride now if that's okay"

"Sure, it's fine" the blonde smiled at her old and new friends together, "You guys were great tonight, thank you for all your efforts"  
"'S what you pay us for" the Irishman shrugged.

"Yeah but it was actually kinda fun too" Cordy smiled, "And not as freaky as I thought working for my friend"

Buffy came forward and hugged her then.

"We will always be friends" she assured the brunette, "Money doesn't change that"

Cordy smiled as the two young women parted. The blonde's words had made her feel stupidly emotional, although she supposed some of it might be the fact she was very tired.

"We off then, princess?" Doyle checked and Cordelia nodded, following him out. They met Spike coming in from the back alley.

"I'm takin' our Miss Chase here home" Doyle told him, "I'll see you back at the flat?"

"S'pose" Spike snapped a little too harshly, as he pushed past them and went back into the building.

"What is his childhood trauma?" Cordy asked, with a look.

"'S called sexual tension, darlin'" Doyle chuckled, "He'll get over it... just as soon as she gets under him" he added under his breathe. Wouldn't do for a lady such as Cordelia to here him speak in such a way about her friend, not if he wanted to convince this girl to date him.

Back inside the almost empty club, just Buffy and Spike remained. Most of the lights were out and just a few towards one end of the bar remained lit. Buffy sat alone there, still with the few bills in her hand that she'd offered to Spike and now felt horrible for doing so.

"S'pose I'll be pushing off then" the bleached blond sighed as he fetched his leather coat and pulled it on, "Unless you need anything else, m'lady?" he mock bowed and Buffy looked away.

"Stop it" she told him, "Stop being a stupid jerk. I'm sorry, okay? I made a mistake. It's not like you're perfect"

"Never for a moment said I was, pet" Spike said evenly, head tilted as he stared at her, "Problem is you seem to have got it into your head that you are"

"No" she shook her head, "I'm not perfect, but it's not my fault that I have more money and power than you" she pointed out.

"Money, maybe" Spike agreed as he stepped closer to her, "Power, well, luv, that all depends on how you mean it" he told her, voice growing softer as he leaned in incredibly close to her, "Seems to me you got plenty of power in your own little world of business, got a little influence where Mum and Dad are concerned I'll bet... but let me tell you something, luv" he said, staring into Buffy's eyes and making her swallow hard, "You have no power over me" he said definitely, his lips almost touching hers, "Can you say the same?" he asked, as her eyes fell shut.

Buffy was stunned when a second later she opened her eyes only to see Spike striding away across the club, leaving her alone. The slam of the front door closing behind him made her jump in her seat, despite the fact she'd watched him go and knew the thud was coming. Her breathing was uneven and her heartbeat too fast as she tried to make sense of what just happened.

How dare Spike think he had any kind of power over her! she thought as she hopped down from her stool onto shaky legs. He hadn't even kissed her and yet the anticipation that he might had made her shiver all over in a deliscious way.

"This is insane" she told herself, shaking her head. She was dating Angel, and she loved him, one day she'd probably marry him and that would be that, she thought as she walked through to the office and picked up her coat and purse. Spike was just an employee, less than nothing, not even a blip on the radar. He wanted to play games with her, well that was just fine. Two could play his game, and though she didn't know exactly how yet, Buffy was determined she was going to win.

_To Be Continued..._


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N : I love writing this fic, and it seems you all love reading it so that works out real well! Here's another chapter...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 8

"Damn and bugger!" Spike complained when the flip up part of the bar came off on one side in his hand. The hinge had been loose for a while but he never had got around to tightening the screws and now the whole thing had come apart. For the sake of tonight, given that it was less than hour to opening, he could easily bodge it if he could just grab the screwdriver from the office drawer. He wondered if it'd still be there since Princess Buffy took over. Probably chucked out anything remotely manly and replaced it with a diamante something-or-other of no use to anyone but the rich and flashy. Spike sighed as he set the bar top back carefully and called over to where Doyle was half heartedly wiping down the other end of the bar whilst staring at Cordy across the room.

"Don't let anyone touch that til I get back, hinge has finally given" he told him before disappearing through to the back. He got as far as the office door when he remembered he hadn't got an access all areas pass these days. Still, Buffy wasn't in yet and if she happened to catch him he didn't mind the slanging match that'd follow. He found he quite enjoyed having a good banter with the silly chit, and getting her all worked up the other day just to walk out on her, well he was sort of proud of himself for that.

It was two days ago, and Spike hadn't seen Buffy since. He didn't work the Sunday and she'd yet to show her face today, though he was sure she wouldn't be much longer. Miss Summers seemed to like ruling over her little kingdom as much as possible.

Spike was crouched down by the desk with his hands in the top drawer, digging through the assorted contents in search of the screwdriver that ought to be there. When it wasn't there, he slammed it shut and moved to get back to his feet, only to be confronted by a pair of female legs at his current eye-level. He got the shock of his life when his eyes travelled up past a too short skirt and beyond to the face of his boss.

"Spike" Buffy smiled slightly, "What exactly are you doing in my office?" she asked him. He smirked as he got to his feet and looked her over from top to bottom this time.

"Just having a rummage through your drawers, pet" he told her frankly, "Didn't think you'd mind"

"Well, that all depends" she told him, sitting down on the edge of the desk and crossing one leg over the other, making Spike subconsciously lick his lips, "What exactly were you looking for?" she wanted to know. When he looked at her with a slightly confused expression she was not surprised to realise he hadn't heard a word she'd said.

"What was that, luv?" he checked and she held in a laugh as she repeated her question, "Just needed a screwdriver, is all" he told her immediately, "Broke the bar a little bit, nothin' I can't mend though"

"Uh-huh" she nodded once, hopping down off the edge of her desk and bending right over to open the bottom drawer. The state of her top was such that if he looked Spike could see so far down her toes were almost visible via her chest.

"Here" she said as she produced the screwdriver and handed it to him. He took it from her without a word, just a vague nod of thanks before he turned to walk out of the office.

"Oh, and Spike" she called behind him, smiling sweetly when he turned back to see what she wanted, "Do me favour and keep your tool to yourself from now on" she said suggestively, eyes travelling down his body as she walked across the room and closed the door in his face with a satisfying click.

Buffy was laughing silently as she leant her back on the door. Spike thought he could play her, well, she'd proved she was just as capable as he was. He wanted a battle that was fine, and if it turned into a war so much the better. Buffy was worried she'd get bored of running the Bronze. No chance of that with Spike around to torture.

* * *

"Stupid soddin' bitch!" Spike was cursing when Doyle walked over to him.

"Had a nice little chat with the boss-lady today then have we?" the Irishman tried not to smile too much as his friend fixed the broken hinge on the bar, still muttering curses about Buffy.

"Who the bleedin' hell does she think she is, that's what I want to know?" he asked his friend who shook his head not understanding, "One minute she's all high and mighty, treatin' us all like dirt on her Prada shoes, next she's..."

"She's... what exactly?" Doyle prompted, "Come on, Spikey, don't leave me in suspenders, man. Tell me this wonderful new attitude change in our Miss Summers that's got you so wound up all of a sudden"

"Thinks she's so bloody smart, she does" Spike shook his head, "Reckons she can play me, make me want her. No bleedin' chance" he scoffed, though back in that office it had taken all the strength he'd had not to bend her backwards over the desk and give her a right good seeing to.

Doyle laughed.

"You seriously tellin' me Buffy's got a thing for you now?" he chuckled, "And you're not interested at all?"

"She does not have any kind of thing for me, Doyle" Spike explained, "I'm not stupid enough to believe that. Reckon she thinks she can get me going just enough to drive me insane. Stupid bint thinks she's actually turnin' me on with her flirting and her... Bloody hell, Doyle you shoulda seen her" he sighed all the fight going out of him, "She thinks she can wrap me round her little finger and, well you tell anyone I said this I'll break every bone in your body but, she keeps acting like that she might just succeed"

"Blimey" Doyle exclaimed, "She must be pulling out all the stops on this one. I never seen her give a bloke the time of day since she's been here, but then I did hear she's got some rich, successful beefcake stashed away so..."

"You guys talking about Buffy again?" Cordy asked as she walked over to them, "Cos the rumours true y'know. She's been dating Angel since we were in High School, total love city" she told them.

"Don't tell me I saw a flash of the green eyed monster just then, did I princess?" Doyle asked her, since her tone sounded as if it were edged just a little with jealousy.

"No way" she smiled, "Maybe once, I mean, back in High School, everybody was jealous of Buffy. She had everything, even more of everything than the rest of us, and to top it all off she got the most gorgeous eligible bachelor to go along with" she sighed.

"Yeah, well, don't reckon Mr Eligible Bachelor would be too impressed if he spotted his girl doing what she was doing two minutes ago right in front of yours truly" Spike said as he closed the bar down and wiped it over with a cloth.

"Buffy was getting up close and personal... with you?" Cordy asked with a look of disbelief, "Yeah, right" she scoffed.

"Y'know for someone who came tumblin' down from their pedestal into the gutter with us lot not so long ago" Spike said, tilting his head as he stared at her, "You still do that demeaning rich bitch look awful well, pet" he smirked.

"Whatever, Blondie" she snapped back at him good-naturedly, "All I'm saying is, there is no way a girl like Buffy is going to have any interest in a guy like you. It's like she's water and you're oil. Entirely not of the mixy kind" she said before walking away once again.

"Think she's tryin' to tell me somethin'?" Doyle sighed, "Like how just like Buffy's too good for you, Cordy herself's too good for me?"

"Not a bit of it, mate" Spike assured his friend, giving him a slap on the back, "You can get the Beauty Queen if you want her, she's in our league now" he said, looking back behind him where the Manager's office resided, "and as for her former High School chum, well, she's in for a surprise"

"Spike" Doyle said in a warning tone, "You're playin' with fire there, man" he warned the bleached blond, "You mess around with her you're only gonna get burned, or worse fired and then punched out by her gorilla of a rich and classy boyfriend"

"We'll see" Spike nodded, smirking still.

He may have inadvertently started this little flirtatious war with Buffy Summers, but she was the one keeping it going. One thing was for certain, he'd be the one to finish it, and in style too.

* * *

Monday night was never especially busy at the Bronze, but they pulled quite a crowd this particular day. Perhaps it was because of the re-vamping of the place and how well it had done on it's grand re-opening on Saturday that drew the crowds, whatever it was they were doing pretty well and Spike and Doyle worked the bar like pros.

Buffy hadn't shown her face as yet, she'd been doing paperwork in the office most of the afternoon and had popped out just the once to unlock and say she was not to be disturbed. That was hours ago and as the bar got busier and busier, it was Doyle who suggested someone ought to give the boss a yell and ask if they couldn't call in a couple of extra pairs of hands. It was her decision after all.

"We can cope on our own" Spike told his friend, "Ain't that right, Cordelia?" he said as she came towards the bar that once contained a whole mass of drinks and now had just cash on it.

"The less amount of ways the tips get split tonight the better for me" she smiled, "The blisters on my feet are so worth it, I got ten dollars from that guy over there" she grinned as she popped the bills into the tips jar.

"You're not gonna get too far on that darlin'" Doyle pointed out and she looked a little pained, "But it's still good" the Irishman back-pedalled fast, hating to think he might have hurt her in anyway, "All I'm sayin' is if we ever plan on taking that cruise to the Bahamas together, we're gonna need a lot more cash in the jar yet" he smirked.

"And an alternate reality where you're James Marsters" she said smartly, picking up a full tray of drinks and strutting away again.

"Where I'm who?" Doyle asked Spike who shook his head.

"Not a soddin' clue, mate" he admitted, "probably some Yank who thinks he's the dogs Balearics, y'know" he shrugged as the beer in the pump ran out half way through the pint he was pulling, "Bugger" he swore, "Think you might be right, mate. Gonna have to get Buffy to call in some extra hands" he said, "I'll go change this barrel and then swing past the office let her know what's happening. You alright til I get back?"

"Sure thing" Doyle nodded, "Next time Cordelia swings round here I'll get her to pop behind the bar a while. She can go back to doin' the tables when you get back"

"Right then" Spike nodded, disappearing down into the cellar first to change the beer barrel. Ten minutes later he came running back up and headed out to the back.

He was about to knock on the office door when Buffy yelled and he stopped to hear what she was bellowing about.

"You said a few days Angel!" she said loudly, presumably down the phone since nobody had been in or out of there all night, "And now you're not coming back for two weeks? You know I need you here" she said, starting to sound more upset than angry, "This club means a lot to me, I'm working so hard and I could use some support"

Spike was sort of wishing he could hear what Buffy's git of a boyfriend was saying now, what excuses he was making for not being there when she needed him. She might be a bitch, and she'd driven him crazy since the day they'd met, but Spike had a little respect for her at least. She could give as good as she got and he liked that in a woman, and she was working bloody hard at making a go of the Bronze. Seemed that theory about when one part of your life goes up, another comes crashing down was ringing true though. As her business career took off, Miss Summers was having a few difficulties in the love life department.

"I know that" he heard her say next, "But why now? And why so long?" she complained, a moments pause and she spoke again, "Well, if that's how it's going to be maybe I don't care if you don't come back at all" she snapped, slamming the phone down.

Spike guessed she was probably pretty upset right now, though whether she'd bite his head off or just cry all over the place was as yet uncertain as he raised his fist to knock on the door.

"I'm not to be disturbed" she called, a slight quiver in her voice - she was definitely crying.

"Didn't have much of a choice, luv" Spike said as he opened the door and let himself in, thinking it was probably best if he ignored the state she was in, "Bar's awful busy and we're havin' a bit of a problem with coping" he told her, "Reckon you could give someone a call, get us a couple of extra pairs of hands?"

"Er, I don't know" she said, trying to wipe away a few stray tears without him noticing and sniffing as she rifled through the top drawer and pulled out a chart with various coloured blocks. Spike recognised it as a copy of the staff rota.

"I might be able to get one other person but most people had plans for their night off" she sighed, "Is there no way you guys can handle it?"

"Would I be in here talking to you if I could avoid it?" he shot back, instantly regretting hurting her when she was already fighting tears over her boyfriend, "Sorry, luv, that was uncalled for" he said quickly, "but fact is, if we don't get at least one more person behind that bar we're gonna be turning customers away" he told her.

"Okay" she said, suddenly getting to her feet. She picked up a rubber band from her desk, stretched it over her hand and had her hair up in a ponytail in seconds, before taking off her jacket and hanging it on the back of the chair, "Let's go"

"Er, go where, luv?" Spike asked not understanding what she meant, but liking the view once again when her whole body came into view. He'd stand a better chance hating the silly bint if she were less soddin' hot.

"You need hands behind the bar" she said, "I've got two, and I know how to pour drinks" she shrugged, "Alright I'm no expert but I should be able to get us through the rush"

"You?" Spike almost laughed at that, "No offence, pet, but you as barmaid is sort of a funny concept, what with you usually being so in charge and all"

"My Mom says you can't expect people to do something for you if you wouldn't be willing to do it yourself" she told him, a little irritated by the fact he had to bite his lip so as not to laugh at her. When he made her uncomfortable, she reminded herself, all she had to do was use her charms and turn the tables.

"Besides, if I get into any trouble" she said, stepping in close to him, "I'm sure you can give me a few... pointers" she said, eyes travelling up and down his body before their gazes met and she smiled almost suggestively.

"No problem, pet" he replied, not missing a beat, "Can't wait to see you in action" he said, smirking as he opened the door and let her out first.

He thought things were fun before, it seemed they were about to get better.

_To Be Continued...  
_


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N : Loving the feedback I'm gettng on this fic, especially last chapter on that joke about James Marsters. Originally I was going to steal the whole line from the Angel ep 'In the Dark' where the actor stated was Matthew McConoughy, but I couldn't resist the extra joke, plus I'm not sure I spelt that guys name right! Anywho, hope you all enjoy reading this new chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 9

"I can't believe this" Doyle smirked as he and Spike worked the bar together, "She's pretty good" he said, glancing over at Buffy as she moved through the crowds with a tray of drinks in her hand, not spilling a drop. The crowd around the bar was dissipating, the rush almost over after a manic hour. Buffy had helped both behind the bar and with taking drinks to the tables. Cordy had been quite surprised to see her friend and boss helping out the workforce as she was, but glad to know that it wasn't just her who'd made the transition from bitch-queen to decent human being. Buffy hadn't even needed to have her cash taken away in order to change.

"The bint's got style" Spike agreed as he watched Buffy work, "Gotta hand it to her, not many bosses would muck in with the staff when things get rough"

"Damn, Spike, tell me you didn't just compliment the woman" Doyle laughed as he popped the tops off two bottles of beer and handed them over to the waiting customers.

"Yeah, well" Spike snapped, "She's still a bitch" he assured his friend as he moved down the bar to serve some new arrivals.

With both of the guys now paying attention to their jobs and not to Buffy, they didn't see her next move as she tried to get between two men that were arguing.

"Guys, calm it down" she told them, completely without fear. It was brave but also incredibly stupid considering these guys were almost twice her height and weight and had several large friends each.

"Stay out of this, bitch" one of them snapped at her, "and get to bringing the beer we asked for"

"No way" Buffy said, standing her ground, hands on her hips as she glared, "I'm not serving you people any more alcohol, I want you all to leave"

"What?" one of them asked incredulously.

"You heard me" she said with slightly less confidence as the two gangs all stood up.

One of the two that had originally been about to brawl took advantage of the fact Buffy had got all the attention, bringing back his fist and smacking his 'opponent' in the face. In seconds a fight broke out, at least ten men all knocking the crap out of each other in the middle of the floor, whilst a group of the Bronze patrons cheered them on and others ran screaming from the fray. Buffy attempted to get out of the middle of the whole thing, finding it near impossible, even when a few large security guys came to break it up.

"What the bloody hell is goin' on there?" Doyle said, suddenly noticing the fracas, and bringing Spike's attention to it too.

"One major ass fight" Cordy told them as he hurried to the bar, "and Buffy's caught in the middle" she said, looking a little scared for her friend.

Before his work mates had barely had time to register that he'd moved, Spike had vaulted over the bar top and was striding though the crowds towards the fight. He barged one bloke out the way and took on another who turned and made to punch him in the face. Spike ducked the drunken man's attack, moving to sweep his legs out from under him, before cracking him over the head with a bar stool and ensuring he stayed down.

He spotted Buffy being pushed back and forth between a couple of much larger guys. As he reached her she got her footing, kicking out with one leg and catching one of the ring leaders between the legs, her high heeled shoes doing untold damage as the bloke winced and fell to the floor. She looked severely pissed when Spike grabbed her wrist and hauled her out of the way, but he wasn't about to let her try to be a hero with those kind of people. She got a lucky strike in then but they'd pummel her given half a chance. They weren't the type to have been brought up well enough to know you don't hit a woman, and no matter how he felt about her, Spike was not about to let Buffy take a beating from anyone, especially not the likes of these thugs.

Gunn, the head of security, soon had his men organised and got the situation under control. The guys who had been at the centre of the fight were escorted out and told in no uncertain terms never to return to the establishment. Though Buffy thanked Gunn for his efforts, she soon snapped at him and the others to get back to work as all the remaining customers that had not been scared off by the brawl began to dance again and order drinks.

"Are you sure you're okay, Buffy?" Cordy asked her as the blonde sat on a stool at the end of the bar.

"I'm fine, Cordy, I swear" she assured her with a smile. They used to best friends, and despite the changes that had happened in their lives, Buffy wasn't about to forget all she'd shared with Cordy whilst they'd been growing up. The concern from her she knew at least was genuine and she was grateful for it.

"I guess we have Spike to thank for that" the brunette sighed, smiling at Doyle as he handed her next order of drinks to her.

"I don't have Spike to thank for anything" Buffy snapped, face hardening at the very idea, "I didn't need his help out there, I was doing just fine"

"Tell that to the cut on your arm" said an English voice in her ear and she jumped, not having realised Spike had crept up behind her. She glanced down at her arm to see a gash near her elbow and blood dripping out. She hadn't even noticed it happen.

"You should get that fixed up, Buffy" Cordy told her, "Cos y'know if that was from the glass of one of those Hells Angel's wannabes, you might need some kind of shot" she said semi-seriously as she walked away to serve the drinks she had in her hand.

"Here" Doyle called as he tossed a clean bar towel over to Spike. He nodded a thanks, pressing the towel to the cut in Buffy's arm and making her wince.

"Ow, get off me!" she yelled, attracting the attention of a couple of patrons of the Bronze. She smiled brightly at them though it was entirely fake, "Hi, hope you're having a good time" she told them as she hopped off her stool, attempting to prise Spike's hand from her arm but having no luck at all as they both went towards the Staff Only door and disappeared.

"Get your hands off me!" she protested as soon as she was sure no-one would overhear, "If I want your help I'll... I will never want your help" she snapped, eyes flashing angrily as she finally got free from his grasp, but kept the towel to stem the blood flow from her arm which was just now starting to hurt.

Spike shook his head at her attitude and followed her down the hall, slamming into her office just moments after she'd done the same thing.

"Get. Out!" she told him, emphasising both words to the extreme. Spike didn't move.

"What is your problem, luv?" he asked her, fairly calmly despite the fact she was royally pissing him off right now.

"Er, I think that's pretty obvious" she told him with a look, "_You_ are my problem"

"Yeah, well, that bit's becoming a tad obvious" Spike snapped as he grabbed the first aid box from the wall and set it on the desk. He could murder the bint some days but right now he really didn't feel like watching her bleed to death just for kicks.

"You made me look ridiculous out there" she told him angrily as he got her by the shoulders and sat her on the edge of the desk. She was yelling too much and in pain from her arm, she wasn't really thinking about the fact she was letting him control her a little bit here.

"I thought actually, luv, I was making you look a little less dead that you might've done if I hadn't've intervened" he told her as he took the towel away from her and cleaned up her arm properly.

"You think I can't handle myself?" she asked incredulously, "I know how to handle myself, Spike. Just cos I didn't grow up in back alleys and seedy little dives like some people doesn't mean I can't defend myself"

"My upbringing has sod all to do with you" he said coldly, staring at her too much for her liking before going back to fixing her arm, "And as far as your self defence goes, a bit of that karate crap they teach you girls might save you from pervs down back alleys, but it's not gonna help in the middle of a bikers bar-room brawl" he told her simply, as he fastened the bandage around her arm.

Buffy had hardly realised he was still tending to her as they argued like they always did. She glanced down at her arm as Spike snapped the lid of the first aid box down and put it back in it's proper place.

"Don't feel you need to come and thank me for saving your ass or anything" he told her as he headed towards the door, "Even if it all sinks in through that bloody thick skull of yours, I know you're still too high and mighty to be grateful to us lower beings for anything" he said, opening the door but not quite leaving yet, "Rest assured, pet, I won't make such a mistake and save your life again" he said nastily as he finally slammed out the office.

A paperweight hit the back of the door just seconds after it had closed and Buffy let out the sound of annoyance that rose in her throat. The man was insufferable, and arrogant, and stupid, and okay gorgeous too, but Buffy still hated Spike Blackstone. He had absolutely no good qualities, she told herself as she hopped off the desk, her hand going absently to the bandage that covered the cut on her other arm. He had been trying to help, she supposed, and she probably could've got more seriously hurt in that fight if he hadn't dragged her out. She just hated to be thought of as weak, especially by those she employed. It didn't do for others to think you couldn't handle yourself, to think they could walk all over you whenever they wanted. Buffy had been taught all that so well by her mother, it never occurred to her that sometimes everybody needed a little help, nobody is invincible.

It was strange, Buffy realised as she continued to stare at the patched up wound near her elbow, Spike had been so great storming into that fray, knocking a couple of guys out she was sure, and yet when he'd tended to her arm she'd barely felt a thing. Despite the fact that they were yelling angrily at each other he still managed to be so gentle she barely realised what he was doing till it was done.

Buffy hated to think she'd yelled at Spike when she shouldn't have, mostly because it meant she should apologise and that didn't come easy, especially when he was so pleased about it. She sighed to herself as she went towards the door, head held high. She would apologise if it killed her, she was a bigger person than Spike was and she was going to act like it, she told herself as she exited the office and moved down the corridor.

She paused at the end of the hallway as she heard voices coming from the basement, the door of which was just a few feet away and open. It was Spike and Doyle talking and instead of just barging in she stopped and listened to what they were saying, mostly because she heard them say her name and wished to know why.

_"Gonna start callin' you Mighty Mouse after that little performance"_

_"Shut it, Doyle. You know that's not the first time I helped break up a fight. 'S not even the first time I saved a woman from a sound beating"_

_"That is not the point and you know it, Spike. Y'know you claim to hate the boss lady so much and yet the minute she's the damsel in distress you're her knight in shining armour, leaping over the bar to her rescue and all that"_

_"Did what anyone'd do. Doesn't mean I like the stupid bint. Some damsel anyway, aren't they s'posed to be grateful when you save them?"_

_"Exactly how grateful did you want her to be?"_

_"You've got a filthy mind, Doyle, d'you know that? Thank you would've done, 's not like I want anything else from that stupid cow. Probably catch somethin', like rich-bitch lurgee or whatever"_

_"You tellin' me if Miss Buffy Summers offered it to you on a plate you'd say no? Cos you've changed your bloody tune. Just the other day you said you'd..."_

_"Yeah, well. As hot as she is I don't think I could go through with it. Probably as damn demanding in bed as she is everywhere else"_

_"You serious? You really wouldn't go for it given half the chance?"_

_"You're so interested, mate, you take a shot. I wouldn't touch Buffy Summers if she were the last woman alive"_

Buffy had got more and more angry as she listened to their conversation. She ducked back behind the wall when she heard them exiting the basement, having changed another beer barrel and fetched more bottles of other drinks.

Of course a part of her was screaming and wanting to storm around the corner and yell at the both of them for discussing her in such a way. She should fire them for it really, but she wouldn't. Spike would still suffer for what he'd said. She'd already proven a couple of times that she could get him all hot and bothered without hardly trying and he'd just admitted she was attractive. By the time she was through with him he'd be wishing she'd offer him everything, but of course she never would.

Buffy smiled as she watched the two barman go back to their work. Oh she was going to have fun with this.

_To Be Continued..._


	10. Chapter 10

_**(For disclaimer etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 10

"Sounds good" Faith grinned as she stepped out from behind the drum kit.

The Chosen were due to play tonight at the Bronze and due to various scheduling difficulties they hadn't had much time for practice lately. The last minute rehearsal however had gone astonishingly well and the whole band were pleased.

"Yeah, and that song you wrote is bloody brilliant Oz" Spike complimented his friend as he pulled the guitar strap from over his head, "Can't imagine what the inspiration was" he smirked, "Or should I say _who_?" he amended.

"Actually try _whom_" Oz shot back smartly, trying not to blush as he escaped from the stage.

It was true that Buffy's friend Willow had a major affect on him when they met last week and by the following night he'd composed his latest song 'The Wish' based on his feelings for her, though he didn't plan on admitting that any time soon.

"So, Spike, how goes it with you and Miss Summers?" Xander asked his friend as they hopped down off the stage and headed towards the bar to grab a couple of beers before the club opened.

"It doesn't go, or do anything else for that matter" the bleached blond told Xander firmly, "Me and Miss Summers, as you would call her, do not get along and are never bloody likely too" he said definitely as he popped the top off two bottles, handing one to Xander and grabbing a third as Faith strutted over and hopped up on a stool.

"You still talking this crap, Spike?" she smiled, shaking her head, "You so want that girl, it's unreal, man"

"You're bloody delusional, luv" Spike disagreed, "I'd sooner take you for a spin than her" he said, taking a slug of his beer.

"Well, all you have to do is ask" Faith told him with a sexy look as she sipped from her beer bottle, causing Xander to almost spit his own drink everywhere.

"Please" he said, wiping his chin with the back of his hand, "Do you guys have to do that in front of me!" he complained.

"Breathe, Xand" Faith laughed loud as she slapped him on the back, and got down from her stool, taking her beer with her, "You guys do the guy thing, I got somewhere else to be" she winked and Spike watched her heading towards the latest barman, possibly the only one other than him she hadn't bedded yet.

"My cousin is just impossible" Xander complained and Spike shook his head.

"She's alright" he defended Faith, since she might be annoying on occasion, but she was at least entertaining most of the time, "You want impossible then we're back to Miss High and Mighty Summers"

"Yeah, where is she anyway?" the brunette checked, "It's her club, and on a Saturday night, I kinda figured she'd be here"

"Hasn't been round much of late" Spike told him, "Not since the trouble last week, with the fight and all. Just pops in to get the takings, locks herself in her office on occasion. Doesn't bother me" he shrugged, "I could run this place with my eyes closed and one arm tied behind my back, plus I got Doyle's help, when he's not chasing skirt of course"

"Oh yeah, that Cordelia girl, right?" Xander recalled, "He getting anywhere with her yet?"

"Not so's you'd notice" Spike smirked, "Reckon she likes him well enough but she's no pushover. He'll have to work for it, but I got a feelin' he'll get there eventually"

"So I guess he's in charge tonight, if we're playing" the brunette guessed as he finished up his beer.

"Dunno, mate" Spike admitted, "Buffy was sayin' she might be in I reckon, but we'll wait and see I s'pose. Stupid bint'll probably sell the place before the year's out anyway, doesn't seem that interested anymore"

"I guess Daddy will just have to come up with something bigger and better to impress his little girl" Xander smirked as the beer bottles were disposed of and the pair headed back up to the stage.

They both laughed at that as Spike checked his watch. Less than half an hour til the doors opened and then another show began.

* * *

The Chosen reached the end of their opening number 'Welcome To The Hellmouth' and received the usual rapturous applause for their efforts. The girls at the edge of the stage were practically falling over themselves to get closer to Spike and the other guys, giggling like kids as they tried to get their attention. Spike didn't like to be distracted when he was playing, and usually got so into the music be barely noticed the screaming women, til later of course. If they wanted to get their hands on him after the show, well then who was he to complain. Everybody liked to be wanted, and he was no different.

Spike glanced back at the band just as Oz's face lit up like a slot machine hitting jackpot. His friend followed his gaze to the door and wasn't at all surprised to see Willow had just walked in, though it seemed a little strange to see the red head without Buffy. He shook his head, it didn't mater where the boss was at, he had a show to be getting on with.

"S'pose now would be a good time for your latest?" he said to the bass guitarist, hand covering the mic so the crowd didn't hear. With Oz's agreement he let Xand and Faith know the change to the set and then addressed the audience.

"Slight change to the order of things, folks" he told the crowd as the girls held back the screaming to a dull roar, "My mate Oz here got a bit inspired and wrote a little something for a young woman he'd like to know better... Can't think who she might be" he smirked as Willow spun around to look at the stage.

She was so completely distracted by the song that seemed to be about herself, and though Spike was singing it she knew Oz had written the words and she couldn't take her eyes off him.

"Will! Willow!" Buffy hissed from the door that led to the staff area.

"Oh sorry" the red-head quickly apologised, picking up the two drinks from the bar and hurrying over to her friend. Oz looked disappointed when she disappeared through the door, but hoped she understood the song was about her and was suitably impressed. He'd never felt this way about a woman before.

If he could see beyond the door she'd just gone through, he would be in no doubt to how Willow felt as she grinned broadly and rambled to Buffy about why she was so long fetching them both a drink.

"Buffy, I think he really likes me" she smiled as her friend took one of the glasses of mineral water from her hand and sipped it.

"That's great, Will" she smiled back, meaning it genuinely, "Oz seems like a really nice guy, just be careful is all. You don't know him all that well"

"I know" the red-head nodded, "but I'd kinda like to, and y'know just cos Spike has made you angry, doesn't mean Oz is like that, just cos they're friends" she said, almost annoyed by the implication.

"I know that" Buffy sighed, as they went back to her office and closed the door behind themselves, "I wouldn't say a bad word against Oz, not unless it were true" she swore, "But Spike deserves to be taught a lesson and he will be" she said firmly, taking off the long coat she'd been wearing since she slipped into the club a few minutes ago. Underneath was an outfit made specifically to show off everything she had to full effect. It was a little more slutty than she would usually go for but it had seemed like a good idea at the time. Spike's comments about never wanting to touch her should've made her happy, after all it wasn't as if she wanted him to like her or come onto her in any way, she had a boyfriend and she was very happy with Angel. She'd just found a little fun in making him want her when she knew he could never have her. She was playing with fire, but as yet was too naive to realise.

Buffy watched as Willow leaned out of the door, craning her neck towards the stage.

"Will, just go" she smiled, "Go hear your song and gaze at your honey"

"He's not..." the red-head began to protest but Buffy cut her off.

"Maybe not, but he might be soon, and a whole lot faster if you're actually in the room when his band are playing the song he wrote for you" she pointed out and Willow grinned before disappearing back into the club.

Buffy took a drink of water and then got the mirror from her purse, checking her appearance. She looked good and she knew it, and in the next few minutes Spike would too. He was going to regret dissing her. She was going to drive him crazy tonight.

* * *

_"So all I can say is...  
__I wish, that one day my dreams come true!  
__I wish, cos all that I want is you!  
__I wish, tell me what else can I do?  
__Baby, I wish for you"_

The Chosen's latest song, The Wish, came to a crashing end and the usual cheer went up for the adored band. Willow was as close to the stage as she could get without being attacked by rabid fan girls, clapping for all she was worth and smiling widely at Oz. He smiled back, pleased that she looked so happy, and hoping she realised the song was about her. He'd worried when she disappeared shortly after the song began but she'd come back fast enough, he was certain now she hadn't run out on him on purpose.

"Okay, back to the old favourites then" Spike yelled into the mic to make himself heard, "Here's one you all know" he told the crowd, who fell into near silence for a moment until the first few bars of a song they did indeed recognise began to be played. It was one of the first songs Spike had ever written, and it was called Lover's Walk.

_"Your mother told you 'play it cool, be good'  
__She didn't know you like she thought she should  
__You took my hand, you smiled, you said 'Let's go,  
__I know a place where we can be alone'_

_And then I knew you weren't plannin' to talk  
__When we went strollin' down to Lover's Walk  
__You knew exactly what was on my mind  
__I knew you were the girl I'd been longing to find_

_That night, down in Lover's Walk!"_

It was at this point Buffy emerged from behind the Staff Only door and moved across the floor, catching almost every guy's attention as she went. Several asked her to dance but she declined every time as she moved through the crowd of girls all dancing by the stage and joined in with them.

Spike didn't notice her at first, she was of course the last person he'd expect to see in amongst the writhing fan-girls that covered the dancefloor each time The Chosen performed. He continued with the song, not even sparing her a glance.

_"All those guys told me you were too damn clean  
__And way too straight-laced to be good for me  
__They never knew you like I got to know  
__You made me quiver, babe, from head to toe._

_Because I knew you weren't plannin' to talk  
__When we went strollin' down to Lover's Walk  
__You knew exactly what was on my mind  
__I knew you were the girl I'd been longing to find_

_That night, down in Lover's Walk!"_

Buffy frowned when she realised Spike hadn't even noticed she was there. She glanced at the other girls all around her who seemed to be getting plenty of assorted male attention. The way they moved, well it was hardly dancing in a traditional sense, but Buffy wasn't going to fail now. In desperation she moved further towards the stage, copying every seductive, enticing, and dirty move she saw the other girls doing. Spike was entranced by her in seconds and having severe problems remembering how to play guitar as he watched her shake what she'd got on the dance floor right in front of him. The bigger shock came when he realised who it was in the skimpy clothing, as she turned round and he saw Buffy's face attached the body of a goddess. He almost forgot to start singing again when the music reached the third verse of the song.

_"Oh baby, when we kissed it felt so right  
__And with our bodies oh so close and tight  
__I need to..."_

Between the words he was saying and the moves Buffy was using, whilst making it perfectly obvious every shimmer and shake was meant for him alone, Spike completely lost the plot and the words to a song he'd written himself and known off by heart for years completely vacated his mind. Such was the effect Buffy Summers could have on him and he hated her for it.

By the time the chorus kicked in he was back on track and with his eyes closed he got through the rest of the song without a hitch.

_"And then I knew you weren't plannin' to talk  
__When we went strollin' down to Lover's Walk  
__You knew exactly what was on my mind  
__I knew you were the girl I'd been longing to find  
__That night, down in Lover's Walk!"_

The crowd cheered as it always did, Spike's little mess up forgotten already. He was too perfect in the eyes of too many young women for one little moment of lyrical amnesia to count for anything. Still it bothered his band mates.

"What happened, man?" Oz asked him, having not noticed Buffy at all. He only had eyes for Willow tonight.

"Bloody bitch" Spike seethed, away from the microphone as he pulled his guitar strap over his head and lay the instrument down, "Gonna soddin' kill her" he muttered as he hopped off the edge of the stage. Buffy was already gone, knowing how mad she would have made him and not wanting to cause a scene. She'd hurried back to her office where they could argue without interruption if they needed to.

"Er, we're gonna take a short break now" Xander laughed nervously as he addressed the crowd, "Don't go away" he grinned, before glancing back at Oz and Faith for some kind of explanation. They merely shrugged that they had no idea what was going on.

Spike was incensed as he pushed through the crowds of women that wanted a piece of him and headed for the Staff Only door, promising he'd see them all very soon, he just had something to deal with first. He was beyond mad at Buffy. The whole sexy dance thing was purely designed to get him going and make him screw up and look like an idiot. He actually thought she might've been a bit nicer of late, he'd helped her out enough with one thing and another, seemed this bint liked her games though, and thought Spike was the best playmate she was ever going to get.

"Well, guess again, sweetheart" Spike said to himself as he stormed into the office, slamming the door behind himself.

"What the bleedin' hell is wrong with you!" he yelled at Buffy who had her back to him when he came in. She smiled to herself before she turned to face him.

"Nothing, I'm perfectly fine" she said sweetly, "But thank you for asking"

"You really are twisted, y'know that?" he said, her cute and innocent routine making him want her no less, only more if it were possible, "You got some circuitry loose in your head or something? Or is this how all rich bitch daddy's girls behave?"

"Oh so we're back to that now?" Buffy snapped, her plan going to hell as he insulted her and started to make her mad, "Jealous of my money, Spike, or just the fact that I'm better than you?"  
He laughed at that, getting in her face when he answered her.

"You're no better than me, in fact you're worse" he told her, "There's a word for women like you, who shake what they've got in public" he told her nastily as his eyes roamed her body, "S'pose you're one up on some given that you don't charge"

That earned him a slap in the face and he was quite surprised by the force behind it, but then what he'd said to her had been a little harsh. She'd just made him want her so much and he hated that he felt that way. He hated that, even now, seconds after she'd struck him, all he wanted to do was throw her on that desk and have his wicked way with her.

"You're lucky my mother brought me up decent enough not to hit women" he told her as his cheek stung, he was sure she'd left an impressive print of her hand on his face.

"You don't wanna hit me" Buffy smirked, knowing it for a fact as she stood millimetres from him, "There's stuff you want to do, I can see that in your eyes, but it doesn't have anything to do with hitting"

Buffy was about thirty seconds away from seeing Spike completely snap, in which case she really would've ended up flat on her back on the desk like he'd thought before, but the presence of another person in the room put paid to that.

"Buffy?" he said, not looking entirely happy when he realised it was indeed his girl dressed in that slutty attire and practically pressed up against some bleached blond idiot he'd never seen before.

"Angel?" she gasped, backing off from Spike fast, "I... I didn't knew you were coming back today, but it's so great that you did" she laughed part-happy, part panicking as she dodged around Spike and threw herself into her boyfriends arms where he hugged her tight, glancing down at the back view of her clothes and not loving the view. Sure it was sexy, but he didn't want the whole world seeing what his girlfriend should only be offering to him.

Buffy made a big deal of kissing him then, something Spike thought was probably for his benefit, showing him what he couldn't have. She was one for games it seemed, fancied getting his motor all revved up then backing off with an innocent look like she had no idea what she'd done. Now she had tall dark and forehead to hide behind too.

Without a word, Spike stormed out of the office, dodging round the still kissing pair. He had no time for bints like her, and their poofters that they dated.

Just as soon as he cleared the door back into the main part of the club, one girl quite literally fell into Spike's arms. She was rambling on about how gorgeous he was and how much she loved him, all a load of crap he was sure. You couldn't love a person genuinely when you didn't even know them, she was just a hyped up fan that was a bit worse the wear for booze, but god she had a grip on her and she was not letting go of him.

He was still trying to prise the girl off his body when Buffy and Angel followed him into the club from the back. Immediately he spotted them he noticed she was staring with distaste as he battled with the young woman he'd now realised was called Harmony. He'd seen her around before, she was quite obviously gorgeous, and hot for him.

On some level Spike knew it was wrong as he took the girl by the hand and whispered in her ear making her giggle as they headed back behind the stage. He knew what he was about to do would make him feel better for a while but would ultimately not stop the want he was feeling for Buffy Summers. Still it was worth it, he told himself as he glanced at her, a moment before she went out of his sight. He enjoyed the look on her face when she realised he could have all the fun he wanted with another girl so it didn't matter that she didn't want him. His world could revolve without her and for whatever reason he knew that hurt her.

_To Be Continued..._


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N : The real Spuffyness is coming, I swear, but you guys know me well enough by now, I like the twists and turns!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 11

It was three days since Angel had arrived back in town, and he'd been glued to Buffy's side every time she came into the club. Following the success of the latest business trip he'd been on, Angel had asked for, and been granted, some time off to spend with his girl who he had neglected for too long. Buffy seemed thrilled to have him back, at least on the surface, but Angel couldn't help but feel something was different. He had a strong suspicion it was to do with a certain bleached blond who worked at The Bronze, though he didn't mention it to Buffy. She wasn't the cheating kind, she was far too sweet and innocent for that, he was sure.

Spike wasn't bothered by the nasty looks the boss' fella threw his way. He'd won fights with bigger blokes than Angel, so if things got really bad he knew he could cope. As it was he couldn't see the situation ever arising, since it seemed to him Angel was as big a poof as his nickname suggested. He certainly wasn't good enough for Buffy, and Spike had made the mistake of saying just that in front of Doyle one day when they'd been drinking a little too heavily at the apartment.

"Oh, and I s'pose you are good enough, eh Spikey boy?" the Irishman had chuckled into his Guinness.

"Bloody right I am" his friend agreed, "Not that I want the silly bint. I can pull better than her without even trying!" he said firmly, though he knew deep down it was a lie. He could have just about any girl in Sunnydale, with his looks, musical ability, and bad-boy reputation, it all came pretty easy. Still, Spike knew no girl he went with now would compare to Buffy. She'd got his attention, she annoyed him intensely like nobody else ever had, and though he'd deny it completely to anyone who asked he knew he was just a little bit in love with her.

Sometimes he was almost certain she was attracted to him too, and that Angel was just something to hide behind because she was afraid to admit what she felt for him. The dozy git was probably all safe and average to her, whilst Spike himself was dangerous and new. He was attractive to her, but she was wary of him, such was the bleached blond's theory on the subject.

"For God sakes, Spike!" Cordy yelled his name for the fourth time and finally caught his attention.

"Sorry, luv, you say something?" he checked as he finished off wiping down the bar.

"Yeah, I was wondering where Doyle was" she asked with a frown, "Shouldn't he be here by now?"

"Not today, pet" Spike told her, "Not feeling so good, bloody lousy in fact, and he doesn't look much better" he sighed, "Thought it was the booze at first but the black stuff never hits him this hard, reckon he's got one of those twenty four hour bug things, y'know?"

"Are you sure he's okay?" Cordelia asked worriedly, "I mean, did you call a doctor or something?"

"Well, no" Spike told her as if she were deficient, "It's not that big a deal, Cordelia, just a bit of shivering, throwing up, and need for sleep is all. It'll pass. He'll probably be right as rain by tomorrow night" he assured the young woman who looked so terribly panicked.

"Oh, well, yeah" she said nonchalantly as Spike stared at her, "I mean, it's not like I care or anything" she lied, "I just wanted to check we had cover for him and stuff, man down behind the bar and all" she said, trying to cover the fact that she actually cared about Doyle's welfare. It wouldn't do for anyone to think she was actually interested in someone with fashion sense that bad, though she was hardly one to judge since her step down in society.

"Course, pet" Spike smirked as he agreed with her, though they both knew the truth of the matter.

"So, I guess we should be unlocking the doors right about now" she said, changing the subject and glancing at her watch to check the time.

"I'll go give Her Ladyship a yell then" Spike rolled his eyes as he moved to go towards the Staff Only door, "Left my bleedin' keys at home" he said as he went and Cordy sighed.

"Honestly, men" she complained half-heartedly as she went to check the bar one more time before the club opened up for this evenings business.

Spike was right to the office door before he realised what was going on beyond it. He'd been going over a new song in his head, not really paying attention to anything else, right until he got to the door - then he heard the yelling.

"I explained that to you, Buffy" Angel was saying, "Miss Mackenzie made a mistake with the booking, and there were no other rooms!"

"And you just had to be the person she shared with!" Buffy shot back incredulously.

Spike rolled his eyes as he listened in to see what Tall, Dark, and Forehead would say to that. Seemed pretty obvious he'd done something he shouldn't've with this Miss Mackenzie, and Buffy had found out. It was going to take some first class lying to get out of this one, and Spike doubted very much he could manage it.

"She was the only woman on the trip, she had to share with a guy and she knows me better than the others" he said, not yelling so much now as admitting guiltily.

"She knows you better than her own father?" Buffy snapped, "If you're going to lie, Angel, at least have the decency to try harder than that!" she told him angrily and Spike could just picture her on the opposite side of her desk, arms folded across her chest, practically stamping her foot with frustration. She was a force to be reckoned with their Miss Summers was, and that Spike found was what he liked best about her.

"Baby, I'm not lying to you..." Angel tried to tell her, but Buffy was having none of it and told him she didn't want to hear another word so he might as well just get out. He protested just for a moment before sighing in defeat and saying he would go, but he'd be back later when she'd calmed down. Spike had the decency to duck around the corner and pretend to be arriving at the door just as Angel exited.

"Alright, mate?" he asked cheerfully, but got no answer as Buffy's fiancé shoved past him and strode away angrily.

Spike was smirking as he stepped into the office, he just couldn't help himself.

"Lovers tiff, was it?" he asked with an annoying amount of glee, that did nothing to improve Buffy's bad mood.

"My love life is none of your business!" she snapped, but Spike wasn't at all bothered.

"Could've been a couple of days ago" he pointed out, "least you seemed pretty keen"

"Like I would ever have seriously wanted to be near you" she scoffed, "It was a joke"

Spike knew that was a lie. Maybe it had started out as a way to annoy him but the look in her eyes, the things she'd said to him, they were real, the same as the look of utter devastation on her face when she'd seen him disappear with that Harmony bird the other day. She moved to walk past him but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him, so sick of all these games she was fond of playing.

"A joke then, was it, luv?" he said in a low voice that made her shiver, although that might of been how close they were right now, "Well, I don't see anyone laughing" he pointed out.

She was about to say something back, though she wasn't sure what it was when she opened her mouth and he never gave her a chance for words anyway as he put his lips to hers and kissed her hungrily. As stupid as she knew she was for doing it, Buffy immediately responded. She wanted this, she wanted Spike, it was crazy and insane but it was true. What had started out as a game was more than that now, and though she didn't know how it had happened she knew things had changed.

Angel's return should've been something to celebrate but she found she was barely happy to see him, especially when she knew it was likely he'd been doing more than just working with Darla whilst he'd been away. The other blonde woman had called her today, said just enough to convince Buffy her fiancé had been unfaithful to her. It was the last reason she needed to convince her she had no need to push Spike away as he kissed her with a passion that Angel never had. Nothing ever felt this good, this intense, as her arms wound round his neck and his hands moved over her body, one settling at her waist the other tangling in her hair.

There was no way to know what might've happened between them, had Cordelia not wondered where they'd got to and come looking. They were already ten minutes late opening up and a rowdy chorus of 'Why Are We Waiting' had begun outside the main doors. Unfortunately with the office door left ajar by Spike on his entrance to the room, Cordy could see inside before she even knocked. Her gasp caught the attention of her friends more so than the knock on the door and Buffy sprang away from Spike as if she'd been scalded, wiping the back of her hand across her lips.

"Er, okay" Cordelia said a little awkwardly, "First of all, woah, when the hell did this happen!" she wanted to know, "And second, yes I know that's actually none of my business, but hey it was worth a shot, and does one of you wanna open the doors any time soon cos it's like restless customers galore out there?" she asked, looking between a very flushed Buffy and a slightly smug looking Spike.

"Sure thing, luv" he said with a smirk, "I was just asking Buffy here for the keys"

"Oh, that's what you were doing?" Cordelia smirked right back, finding the whole thing just a little amusing. These two had been dancing around each other and their feelings for too long in her opinion, it was about time they got it on.

"Keys, right" Buffy said, quickly finding them and handing them over, both loving and hating the way her skin tingled when her fingers brushed Spike's own.

"Right then, lets get this show on the road" he said, walking out of the door. Though Cordelia followed she glanced back at her old friend first. She didn't just look like she'd had the best kiss of her life, she also looked a little stunned, maybe angry.

"What are you doing?" Cordy asked Spike as he set about unlocking the doors.

"Well, pet, I'd say that was a little obvious" he said, eyebrow raised as he put the key in the lock.

"No, not with the door, you idiot" she said, slapping him lightly across the top of the arm, "With Buffy. I know there's something up with you two, but she didn't look very happy when we left that office"

"Silly bint probably thought that kiss you saw meant something" he shrugged as he fought with the key that didn't like the lock it' been put into, refusing to co-operate.

"And it didn't?" Cordy checked, as Buffy stood in her office, frozen to the spot. The security camera trained on the front door was currently on the monitor and she turned up the volume to better hear what was being said.

"Yeah, right" Spike chuckled, "Like I'd feel anything for a bitch like her" he scoffed, making Buffy feel very sick and very angry. He was still playing games with her, and she hated him for that, but moreover she hated herself for actually wanting him like she knew she did now. Whether it was just physical attraction or if it ran deeper she wasn't certain, and she didn't plan to find out. There were better men in the world than Spike Blackstone, and there was no way he was going to have any power over her.

* * *

Spike was glad Doyle wasn't working tonight. If he had have been there would have been just one topic of conversation behind the bar - Buffy Summers. As it was Spike couldn't get the boss lady out of his head, and talking about her could only make matters worse.

What had happened between them, though he'd started it, he hadn't expected to enjoy himself quite so much, to feel the things he felt. If he thought about it too much he lost the ability to pour drinks correctly so he tried not to dwell on it. Cordy kept shooting him glances though. Little smiles that he was fairly certain meant she hadn't believed a word of it when he'd said Buffy meant nothing. He'd lied, and they both knew it.

Spike's problem was he didn't want to like Miss Summers, and he certainly didn't fancy falling in love with her, but already he knew he was well on the way to that. God, he despised Doyle for being right, and Xander, and Faith... seemed every bugger knew how he felt before he did! Now it was clear though. When Buffy was with Angel he felt sick and when he kissed her today it was a whole new kind of bliss. All he had to do now was tell her about it, though Spike wondered if he could.

If he went to her and confessed what he was feeling he was fairly certain one of two things would happen. Either she'd laugh in his face and humiliate him, or she'd crow over the fact she'd been right all along, knowing he wanted her. He couldn't take her refusal of him, or her self-satisfied smile when she was proven right.

He was just going over his options for about the hundredth time that night when he spotted Buffy's gorilla of a boyfriend chatting with Gunn, head of security. With a smile and friendly slap on the back, Angel was allowed free access to the Staff Only area and Spike hated knowing that ponce was probably going to go and make his peace with Buffy.

"You can hold for the fort for a sec, can't you, luv?" he checked with Cordy, who nodded and agreed she could. She'd seen Angel too and knew where Spike was headed and why. She was interested to see how this one played out, and she really could cope for a while without the bleached blond so she let him go.

Spike was half way to the office door, feeling like he was having distinct deja vu as he heard yelling beyond it. It had been left slightly open, more by mistake than by design he assumed as Buffy told Angel she wasn't sure she could trust him anymore.

"Come on, Buffy, you know I love you" he said, "We had big plans for the future, marriage and kids. Why does that have to change?" he asked as Spike opened the door a little more unnoticed by the pair with the their arms around each other.

"I don't know..." Buffy sighed, "I..." she stopped when she finally noticed Spike in the doorway and her eyes hardened, "What did I tell you about knocking and entering?" she snapped.

"Don't tempt me to answer that one, luv" he smirked, several suggestive and dirty comments running through his head that she could practically hear as she looked at him.

"I don't think this is your office" Angel told the bleached blond, "So why don't you get the hell out?"

"Didn't think it as your office either, _mate_" Spike bit back and Buffy told them to stop it now.

"Spike, Angel can go anywhere he wants in this club" she told him firmly, "Whether you like it or not, and I don't see you have any reason not to, he is my fiancé"

"Does that mean...?" Angel looked at her again with hope in his eyes, his question left half asked as she smiled.

"Yes" she told him, "We're good. I was being stupid, I know that" she sighed, "I'm sorry, Angel, I shouldn't let my wacky imagination run away with me"

Angel hugged her then, but she didn't look at all thrilled as her eyes met Spike's over her boyfriends shoulder. They both knew she'd only got back with Angel to infuriate Spike, and they both knew it had worked too.

_To Be Continued..._


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N : Buffy might be back with Angel, but we all know that's just to annoy Spike! Buffy wants Spike, Spike wants Buffy, they've been bottling up feelings for too long now, the inevitable is about to happen...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 12

"Hey, what's up with you?" Cordelia asked as Spike slammed him way back behind the bar looking furious.

"Nothin' a railroad spike through a certain fellas head wouldn't fix" he said angrily and Cordy backed up a step at that remark. She'd seen Spike mad before but not like this. The only possible thing that could have got him so angry she assumed must be Buffy and Angel getting back together.

"Okay" she drew out the word, backing off further and leaving well alone. Usually Cordy wouldn't stop yammering on about something, even when it would have been in everyone's best interest for her to shut up, but on this occasion even she wasn't going to get involved, at least not until the steam had stopped coming out of Spike's ears.

Buffy was a fool if she was back with Angel, Cordelia sighed as she thought about it whilst she served the waiting customers at the bar. Angel was a nice guy, in the beginning at least, but as soon as he got his wicked way with Buffy he started to get restless, a little bored even. Other women caught his eye, and Cordelia knew it was true, after all she'd been one of the girls he'd taken an interest in at one time, before her unfortunate slip into near-poverty. Though she was guilty of not exactly halting his advances at first, they'd only ever kissed once and she'd been a little worse the wear from wine at the time. Buffy knew about the incident and had long since forgiven both of them, but Cordy knew she'd also forgiven others that were less innocent.

The sound of smashing glass jolted Cordelia from her thoughts and she turned to see Spike on his hands and knees, carefully picking up larger pieces of glass before sweeping the rest up. Poor guy was in such a state over Buffy, she sighed, oh how Cordy was glad she didn't live anywhere near Spike because she had no doubt he'd be getting way drunk and loud before the night was over. That brought her thoughts around to Doyle, who did indeed live with Spike. It was weird because she pretended she barely liked him at all, and yet knowing he was sick, suffering with no-one to care for him, it made her feel bad. Though what Spike had said was probably true, that he'd be fine by tomorrow night, Cordy couldn't just wait and see. She would go over to the apartment tomorrow morning, just to say hi. She could always use the excuse of checking on Spike, since given the state he was in now it was pretty clear anything could happen. Yes, she decided quite firmly, that was what she'd do, as Spike jammed the cash register and cursed loudly in frustration. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

"Why am I even here?" Cordelia said to herself as she stood outside the front door of Doyle and Spike's apartment. It had freaked her out more than she was comfortable with when the bleached blond explained his friend would not be working last night because he was sick. Though he'd assured her it was nothing serious, Cordy wanted to see for herself and so had brought herself here to the apartment. She almost asked Spike if he would give her a ride here last night but he was in a foul temper over Buffy and Angel, and she really didn't want to get involved in that right now.

"Okay, so, knocking" she said to herself eventually raising her fist to knock on the door. There were vague sounds of movement from within the apartment before Doyle finally appeared, looking a little tired but overall not so bad.

"Cordelia" he grinned at the sight of his favourite woman, "Well, this is the best surprise I've had since... well, I can't rightly remember when" he told her, making her smile too. She'd kind of missed this yesterday, even if it was just a few hours.

"Hey, Doyle, I was just checking you were okay" she said, trying to make it sound casual and friendly, but in no way overly interested, "I was, y'know, in the neighbourhood, and Spike said you were feeling kinda off colour yesterday so... that was all"

"So you do care after all, eh princess?" he said with a smirk and she batted him across the arm with a playful smile.

"Don't you go getting a big head, Mr Smirky" she smiled in spite of herself.

"Oh now, come on" he complained, pretending her fake strike had injured him, "Beating up an ill man now is it? That can't be right"

"Neither is keeping guests on your doorstep" she said pointedly and Doyle suddenly realised how rude he'd been, and offered her to come inside. She was barely over the threshold and he started running around, removing empty cans and packets from the table and kicking newspapers, magazines, and the such like underneath the couch.

"It's a bit of a mess" he said guiltily, "Felt too rough yesterday to be tidying up"

"It's no big" Cordy shrugged, though she sat down very gingerly on the edge of the less than spotless couch, "I guess you're feeling better now?" she checked and he nodded as he sat down once again in his own chair, turning off the TV so they could talk.

"All the better for seein' you, darlin'" he told her with a wink, "I'm more worried about Spike meself" he added in a whisper, "He came in last night, slammed every damn cupboard door in the place, cursed everything he could to Hades and then disappeared in his room with half a bottle of booze" he explained and Cordy sighed.

"I think it has to do with Buffy" she told him quietly, just in case Spike might hear, "I kinda found them kissing" she said, causing Doyle's eyes to widen, "Very intense, I don't know what they might've ended up doing if I hadn't walked in, if you know what I mean"

"I think I can imagine" Doyle grinned, "I've been tellin' the boy for weeks just to have at it. I swear to God the pair of them are gonna explode from the sexual tension if they don't do somethin' about it soon"

"Yeah, well, so not going to happen anytime soon" Cordy pointed out, "Spike swears black and blue he doesn't feel anything but revulsion, and Buffy made up with Angel"

"I tell you somethin' darlin'" Doyle sighed, shaking his head, "I dunno about this illness o' mine, I reckon it'll be those two lunatics that'll be the death of me! They want their heads bangin' together and no mistake"

Doyle had no idea his voice had gotten loud enough that Spike could now hear everything being said. The bleached blond wasn't bothered by what his friend or Cordy had to say, he knew the truth and that was the important part. The truth was his feelings for Buffy ran deeper than he could explain, and he hated her for making him feel like this. Simple fact was, she was as stubborn as he was, and refused to admit that there was even a microscopic part of her that was attracted to him, despite the fact he knew she was at least physically attracted. Spike knew women, knew the signs and signals enough to tell either they were interested or not. Words are all well and good but body language can tell a whole different story and nobody could hide the truth their eyes told.

The kiss Spike and Buffy had shared proved to him there was something more between them than even he thought was possible. He didn't just want her, he cared about her, he felt things when he was near her that he didn't have words for. The word love popped into his head but he dismissed it quickly. He couldn't be in love with her, that would be insane, but he felt something and she did too. It needed identifying, it needed fixing so Spike could stop feeling like this, so lost and confused. The scotch he'd downed last night had helped him sleep but it didn't ease his mind for long. He needed to know what it was he felt for Buffy Summers, what it was she felt for him, and why she was fighting it to a much bigger degree than even he himself was.

In that instant he was on his feet, grabbing some clothes and heading to the bathroom so he could shower and change. He was going to see Buffy, and they were going to figure this out, one way or another.

* * *

Buffy sat behind her desk, spinning her engagement ring on her finger, staring into the diamond as the electric light bounced off each facet, making patterns on the wall and the ceiling. She was engaged to be married to a gorgeous, intelligent, wealthy, and well-respected young man. Buffy didn't know why thinking that made her feel like crying these days. Maybe because she knew the likelihood was he wasn't always faithful to her, maybe more so because she'd had some vague thoughts and at least one very vivid dream about being unfaithful to him.

It was Spike's fault, at least that's what she told herself. He only had to look at her these days and all kinds of feelings shot through her body, and after that kiss... God nothing had ever felt that good. Her eyes fell shut as she recalled the brief moments, his lips on hers, his hands on her body sliding up and fingers tangled in her hair as he took her breath away in the most beautiful way possible. She'd never felt so much passion in one kiss, not even with Angel, and yet it was more than simply lust. That was the scary part as far as Buffy was concerned. What she felt about Spike, she'd assumed it to just be physical, he was an attractive man, all the girls said so, Harmony was so convinced that in a slightly inebriated state she'd thrown herself at him like a cheap slut the other night, and it sickened Buffy to see her friend behave that way. Still if she was honest she knew a part of her supposed disgust was actually jealousy. She wanted Spike to be with her that way, she thought to herself, before firmly saying no. Of course she didn't want to sleep with Spike, why would she? She was engaged to Angel and despite a few problems they loved each other... didn't they?

A knock on the door made Buffy physically jump, and before she'd had a chance to ask who was there in the middle of the day, Spike came barging in.

"We need to talk" he told her firmly and Buffy immediately snapped at him, finding the only way to control her want for him lately was to keep up the charade of hate.

"No, we really don't" she told him, "Get out"

"No, not this time" he said, closing the door behind himself and locking it, before turning back to face her as she got up from her desk and marched around it.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" she demanded to know, "Unlock the door and get out of here!" she ordered him, but he refused.

"I've been laying awake half the night going over this in my head Buffy, and you are bloody well going to listen" he told her in no uncertain terms. His volume dropped a few decibels and he sighed before continuing, "Buffy, luv, we've gotta figure this out cos it's driving me insane"

"Haven't you always been insane?" she answered smartly, but he shook his head.

"Will you stop doing that!" he urged her, "Jumping in with a smart comment, I'm trying to..." he struggled with what he meant to say for a moment before he found the words he needed, "Buffy, yesterday, when we kissed..."

"I don't have to listen to this" she said, knowing what was coming from the look in his eyes and not wanting to deal right now. She turned away but Spike grabbed her wrist and pulled her back around. She ended up much closer to him than she'd started out and feeling like she couldn't breathe, as his fingers gripped her arm and his eyes bored into her own.

"Yes, you damn well do have to listen" he told her firmly, "You know what's between us, as well as I do" he said, knowing it was true from the way she couldn't wait to escape. It terrified her too, but this had to be dealt with.

"I don't... I don't want to do this right now, I just want you to get out" she said, trying to sound forceful but failing miserably.

"That's what you really want is it?" Spike challenged and Buffy couldn't verbalise an answer. She didn't need to, he knew he'd been right all along from what she couldn't say rather than what she could.

In seconds Spike had her in his arms, his lips crushed to hers as he held her as close as he could get her. Far from pushing him away, Buffy responded to his touch, wrapping her arms around his neck and ensuring he stayed right where he was, making her feel so good. The rational part of her brain told her she was crazy for letting him do this, touch her and kiss her as he was doing right now, but for the most part Buffy couldn't think straight. She knew, deep down, that he'd been right all along, that from the moment she'd laid eyes on Spike Blackstone a part of her had been longing for this day to come. She wanted him, more than she ever planned on admitting, but words of surrender were not needed as her body gave into him.

He pushed her back against the desk as they kissed deeply, hands roaming over each others bodies as their longing to be closer increased. She was half lying on the desk as his hand travelled up her thigh and beneath her skirt. She couldn't breathe, had no thoughts left in her mind as he touched her, relieved her of her underwear and made his intentions very clear.

It was her last chance to stop this, but still Buffy let it happen. Despite the fact she was engaged to another man, despite the fact she'd claimed to hate Spike from the day they met to now, despite every rational thought her mind should have come up with and couldn't because of the way he was kissing her and touching her. She was overwhelmed already and gasped as he finally entered her. She clung to him as they moved together, and nothing had ever felt like this, Buffy was certain nothing ever would again, and had no idea Spike was thinking the same thing.

The intense feelings soon reached their peak and she screamed his name in ecstasy as they climaxed in unison, bodies fizzing and tingling for a long while after as they came down from the natural high point neither had ever quite reached with anyone else before.

Buffy wasn't aware of anything but herself and Spike, what they'd done and how good it felt. The rest of the world was a fuzzy blur, nothing meant anything in particular, nothing but the two of them. Spike was so overwhelmed by the passion he'd felt, so overcome with emotion. He held Buffy to him and whispered words that even surprised himself as they left his lips.

"Buffy, I love you" he said softly into her ear, "God I love you so much"

Something snapped in the young woman's mind as those few words hit her fogged brain. The sheer bliss of a moment ago dissipated in seconds as she took it all onboard. They'd had sex, mindless and passionate and overwhelming, but it was just sex. She could've rationalised it away, made it all okay if that's all it had been but now, now Spike was talking about love. They'd made love. Is that what they'd done? Surely that was what she and Angel had done, but not her and Spike. This wasn't love, lying half on a desk in the back room of a night club, writhing in fits of uncontrollable passion. It was just lust, a physical release, nothing more.

"No" the word forced it's way out of her mouth, as she tried to co-ordinate her body that still hummed from the experience of what she and Spike had just done, "No, you don't" she said, making him pull back and look at her strangely.

"Buffy..." he began but it was the only word he managed to get out before she repeated her negative mantra.

"No, no, no, get off me, and get out" she began to yell as tears came to her eyes. She pushed him away, feeling nauseous as her mind worked over time. Spike did as she asked, adjusting his clothing as she did the same, though he too was having trouble processing exactly what had happened and why her reaction to him had taken such a one-eighty. Just seconds ago she was screaming his name, and now she was screaming for him to get off and get out. It didn't make a whole lot of sense. The fact he'd just realised how incredibly deep his feelings for Miss Buffy Summers ran was also not helping his confusion. It should've just been a physical attraction, an itch he needed to scratch, but today's events had proven him wrong.

What they'd just done, okay so it wasn't perfectly romantic like it might've been but it was more than just sex. He'd had his fair share of women over the years, but only once before had he ever proclaimed love to any of them, and never had he felt such a want and need to do so as he had just now. It had felt like the most natural thing in the world to say it to Buffy, and he'd meant it more sincerely than he'd ever meant anything else in his life before.

Now as he looked at her, pushing her skirt down firmly and trying to keep her top, that had got slightly torn in the process of their passion being unleashed full force, across her body, she looked disgusted and on the brink of tears.

"Buffy, luv, I'm not just going to..." he began uncertainly, this was uncharted territory for him and he didn't know where to start, "I meant what I said, I thought..."

"You thought what!" she yelled at him as tears ran down her cheeks, "That I love you too? That you're the best I ever had!" she forced out a painful laugh, "Get out Spike!" she ordered, turning her back on him, not actually denying anything because right now it would be impossible. Her legs were barely holding her for more than one reason and she just wanted him to go away so she could sort out the mess of thoughts and emotions that were running round inside of her at ninety miles an hour. But he wouldn't leave.

"Pet, if I hurt you..." he said, sounding genuinely worried that he might've. Of course he hadn't meant to, but the way their need and hunger for each other had taken over...

"You didn't" she said flatly, her back still to him, her body tense as she felt him step closer to her. If he touched her again she wouldn't be able to stand it, she had to make him go.

"Spike, please" she practically begged, forcing herself to turn and face him, "Please, just go. I can't deal with this, with you, I can't"

The sight of her tear stained face almost killed him, to know he was causing her this upset, even if he didn't know exactly how he'd done it. She'd been right there with him a few minutes ago, she'd gone on the same trip to heaven and back that he had, he was sure of it, and yet now she was so distraught. Whilst he didn't understand it, he knew he wanted her suffering to ease and so nodded his head.

"I'll go, if it's what you want, luv" he assured her, turning towards the door, picking his coat up off the floor as he went.

He paused by the door and looked back at her, though she kept her eyes on the floor. He opened his mouth to say something but never did as he left, closing the door behind him.

Buffy crumpled to her knees as soon as the door clicked shut, and cried like her heart would break. Why Spike had made things so complicated she couldn't conceive, but she really wished he hadn't. She might've been able to cope if it was just sex, but he loved her and deep down inside she knew what she felt for him was stronger than she'd originally assumed. Nobody ever made her feel the way he did, not even Angel. He was everything to her, when he should be nothing, and though she was seriously starting to wonder if she had real feelings of love for Spike, Buffy knew she hated him just a little bit too, for making her feel anything at all.

Outside the room, Spike was leaning back against the door, tears in his own eyes as he listened to her cry. He couldn't fathom out what the bloody hell was happening. All he knew was he'd just had both the best and worst few moments of his life, all crammed together in the last hour.

Being with Buffy, it was like nothing else he'd ever experienced. He'd known for a long time now that he wanted her, maybe even cared about her a little bit, but he'd never expected the love that overwhelmed him as he'd shown her how good he could really make her feel.

Minutes later she was looking at him like something she'd stepped in and that hurt, more than any physical blow that had ever been landed on him, more than any pain he'd suffered at the hands of anyone else. God, even Dru leaving him hadn't been this painful as he listened to Buffy sob her heart out in the office, knowing in some way he'd hurt her this badly. Part of him said he should burst back in there, hold her close and tell her whatever was upsetting her could be fixed, that everything would be okay, but he didn't know that for certain. His presence only seemed to make her more prone to distress and that was doing nobody any good.

Taking in a breath, he pushed himself off the door and walked away down the corridor. He swiped two bottles of Jack Daniels from the shelves in the bar before slamming out through the door. There was only one way he knew to get rid of the discomfort he felt right now. He was going to get very, very drunk til he passed out and could no longer feel the pain.

_To Be Continued..._


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N : Happy Easter to all those who celebrate it, and hope everybody else is having a good weekend too!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 13

"Oh, great" Doyle sighed, shaking his head as he came out of his bedroom and surveyed the scene. The devastation that lay before him was once a semi-tidy and presentable living space. Spike had a bad night last night, that much was obvious. He drank most nights, but not to excess as a rule. The last binge Doyle remembered his friend going on was when he and Drusilla were finally over. If the two empty bourbon bottles were anything to go by he'd probably seen that very same woman last night, opening up old wounds that had only just recently properly healed.

"Come on, you lazy bugger" the Irishman called to Spike as he walked around the couch, picking up the bleached blond's leather coat that had been haphazardly discarded over the coffee table, next to an ashtray that was overflowing with cigarette butts. Spike also smoked too much when he got upset and/or angry.

"Yo, Spike!" Doyle yelled more loudly, kicking the other man's booted foot where it hung over the end of the couch, his head at the opposite end, face pushed unattractively into the cushions, "Rise and shine, Sleeping Ugly!" he shouted near his ear and finally Spike seemed to hear him.

One hand immediately went to his face as Spike shied away from the daylight and tried to deal with both the banging in his head and the terrible feeling of nausea that flooded his system. His body felt like lead, his head swam violently with every tiny movement, and little did Spike know that this was the best he would feel all day. At this precise moment in time his mind was sufficiently foggy and asleep that it didn't remember the events of last night clearly enough for them to hurt.

Doyle had left the living room, taking some random garbage into the kitchen when Spike managed to pull himself into a sitting position and some of the haze in his head cleared. He closed his eyes and wished the pain away, that terrible feeling like a knife in his heart as he recalled exactly what had happened last night with Buffy. God he hated her, and the world for making this situation present itself. He also loved those two things for the same reason and that didn't help his sanity or the pain in his head and heart.

"You got sufficiently wasted last night then" Doyle said too loudly as he came back into the room and found his friend still on the couch looking decidedly worse for wear from the bourbon he'd consumed the night before.

"Piss off" Spike muttered as he wished the world away. Sadly it did not co-operate, and neither did Doyle.

"Look, the way I see it" the Irishman sighed as he sat himself on the coffee table opposite Spike, "is the only two reasons a fella such as yourself gets himself in the state you find yourself in this fine mornin' is money or women" he counted the two on his fingers, "Seein' as I happen to know I'm the gamblin' man out of the two of us, I'd say your problem revolves around a certain lady" he guessed. Spike continued to ignore him, hand tightening on the empty Jack bottle in his hand.

"Right then, so now the question becomes which particular lady could've made you such a mess?" Doyle continued his one man conversion since Spike was not forthcoming, "There was of course the beautiful but insane Drusilla, but I know she's so far out the picture it's untrue" he said thoughtfully, "And the only other woman I can think of that'd make our man Spikey here turn to the drink so easy is the Proprietor of one fabulous night-club by the name of The Bronze" he smirked, "Miss Buffy Summers, come on down" he said with a grin, the expression sliding from his face when Spike glanced at him and he saw something he hoped he'd never see again after the debacle with Dru - tears in his good friends eyes.

As Doyle's expression shifted, Spike knew he'd seen the drops of sadness he'd been trying to hide. He hated it and showed that hate the only way he knew how, by throwing the bottle in his hand against the wall with a force that smashed it into a hundred tiny pieces on impact. Doyle's eyes followed the bottle's fate and by the time his vision shifted back to where Spike had been, the bleached blond was gone, the bedroom door slamming behind him.

"Well, Doyle my boy" the Irishman said to himself, "You knew they were attracted to each other. Seems you never accounted for your ol' pal Spike fallin' in love again"

* * *

"Buffy?"

The blonde vaguely heard her name being called down the hall outside her office, though she made no move or sound to tell her friend where she was hiding. She'd stopped crying hours ago, tears would only come for so long and her body could only convulse with sobs so much before her muscles ached. She'd done a terrible thing, possibly two terrible things, definitely one beautiful thing, but that might also prove to be a wrong thing. Despite hours of thinking it over, and over, and over, Buffy still wasn't entirely sure which was her bigger crime, or if she'd done anything so very bad at all.

"Buffy?" Willow called again, smiling with relief as she opened the door to the office and found her missing friend inside. The smile disappeared when she saw the state of the blonde, sat at her desk, holding her ripped top to her body, tear stains on her face.

"Oh my Goddess, what happened to you!" she gasped as she rushed to her friends side and knelt by the chair, "Buffy talk to me" she urged, "Tell me, who did this to you?"

After a long moment, Buffy found words to answer.

"I did it, Will" she croaked out, "I... I wanted to, and he... I never thought it would... I never meant to..." she shook her head, collapsing into another fit of tears and Willow held her friend as best she could as she processed the broken sentences and tried to make sense of the situation. It had initially looked as if someone had taken advantage of Buffy, but as she tried to explain it seemed that the blonde had wanted whatever had happened to happen, which begged the question, why was she so upset now?

"It wasn't supposed to be so complicated, Will" Buffy coughed and spluttered the sentence out as she pulled away from her friend and tried to explain, "I never meant for it to be like this"

"Sweetie, what wasn't supposed to be so complicated?" Willow urged her to explain further, "I don't understand"

"Spike was here" she said, looking down at the floor, "We were fighting and then we kissed and..." the look on her face meant Willow got her full meaning without her having to finish the sentence.

"Oh" was all the stunned red-head could find to say. She'd known for a while that things weren't perfect between Buffy and Angel, and the love/hate thing that had been going on with her and Spike was pretty obvious too. Still the last thing Willow had expected was to find her best friend had done the deed with Spike and in her office no less!

"It was just sex" Buffy shook her head, eyes fixing on the desk a moment later, bringing Willow's attention to the fact the things upon it were in disarray, making her wonder if that was where it had happened, "It was just supposed to be physical, I never thought he'd..."

"Never thought he'd what?" Willow asked with a frown when her friend fell silent again.

"How can he, Will?" she said, as her eyes shifted back to her friend, "How can he love me when he hates me so much, when he... how can he?" she asked again, looking so terribly confused.

"He loves you?" the red-head checked, "I mean, he said those actual words?"

Buffy nodded her head.

"Right after we... He just said it and I freaked out" she admitted, swallowing hard so she could continue, "I made him leave and now... God, Will, the things he can make me feel, I never thought anybody could do that to me" she said, looking equal parts stunned and horrified by her own words, "but then he had to ruin it" she cried and Willow wasn't sure what she was supposed to say.

First off, she was stunned at her friend and the way she'd betrayed Angel by being with Spike. She was further shocked by the fact that it seemed the bleached blond was in love with Buffy. Of course one might say Buffy was justified in her betrayal, after all it seemed highly likely what Angel was often unfaithful to the blonde, not that two wrongs made a right at all but... Willow felt quite dizzy as she went over it all in her head, the biggest shock still being that her straight-laced friend had found her pleasures with the hired help on a desk in the middle of the day!

Poor Willow didn't quite know how to deal with that one. Though she knew Buffy had been sleeping with Angel for months now, she herself was still a virgin and a little shy and embarrassed when it came to talking about this kind of thing. So far she and Oz had not progressed beyond a little kissage and that was fine for now.

"Sweetie, I wish I knew what to say to help you" Willow sighed, "but, it's all up to you now. Do you love Spike?" she checked and it took Buffy a few moments before she found words to answer.

"No" she lied blatantly, though Willow didn't know it, "No, I don't" she said firmly, though she never did meet her friends eyes.

"And Angel?" she prompted, wondering if it was another fight with her fiance that had caused Buffy to do what she had with Spike. Angel could be a really nice guy when he wanted to be, but since he'd been working with Darla things had changed. That woman could wrap men round her little finger so easily, and Angel was her favourite toy whom it seemed she could control better than anyone. One argument too many might have been all it took to push Buffy over the edge and make her do something she now regretted with a guy like Spike.

"We fought" Buffy admitted, sniffing still from all the crying that had come before, "It was stupid, all about Darla" she spat the blonde's name out as if saying it left a nasty taste in her mouth, "I said it didn't matter, it was all okay. Will, I was so stupid"

"No, sweetie" Willow shook her head, though in all honesty she wasn't sure if what she said was true, she wasn't even certain which part of what Buffy had done the blonde now considered to be stupid. The fighting with Angel perhaps, or forgiving him too easily, or maybe what she'd done with Spike on the desk, or something else entirely could be what she was referring too, "Buffy, whatever's happened, you are not stupid. You're just... confused" she said, knowing she felt exactly the same and it wasn't even her problem, "I guess you need to figure out where to go from here, what you wanna do next?"

"There's only one thing I can do" she said, nodding her head and wiping tear tracks and ruined mascara from her cheeks with the backs of her hands, "I'll go home and change, and then I'll go see him, make this right" she said determinedly, scrambling to her feet. She had her coat on, her purse in her hand and was by the door, all before Willow had managed to get back on her feet.

"Thanks, Will" she said with a shaky smile, as she exited the office, leaving the bemused red-head behind.

"You're welcome?" she said uncertainly to the now empty room, wondering what she'd even done that had been helpful.

* * *

"I dunno, princess, wish I bloody did" Doyle said in a low voice. He had called Cordelia to warn her work not be much fun tonight one way or the other. Knowing as he did that something must have happened between Spike and Buffy, it either meant working at the Bronze tonight would mean facing several hours in an atmosphere of some awful kind, or being one or two people short should one or both of the blond 'couple' choose not to show their face.

"Well, we have to do something, Doyle" Cordy told him in no uncertain terms, holding the phone under her chin as she made some lunch, "I am so sick of all this stuff between Buffy and Spike. They're causing me stress and that's just not good for the complexion"

"Sweetheart, no matter what happens with those two, it won't change how beautiful you are to me, stressed or not, alright?" he told her honestly and she blushed on the other end of the line.

"Seriously, we need to figure this out" Cordy told him, "I can't work with those two alternately bitching and making goo-goo eyes at each other. They're driving me crazy!"

"Well, you know Buffy better than most" Doyle sighed, "Can't you talk to her, find out what happened and such?"

"I dunno" Cordy shrugged to herself, "We haven't talked like that since High School. I'm not exactly in with the in crowd anymore and... What the hell was that!" she said suddenly as a loud noise down the line almost made her drop the phone. Grabbing the receiver with her hand she put it back to her ear tentatively.

"That'll be Spike then" Doyle explained, "Seems he plugged his guitar into the amp and knocked the volume up beyond breaking point" he said, his expression pained as he covered his other ear and forced the phone tight against the other so he could still hear Cordelia when she spoke.

"Won't your neighbours mind the noise?" she winced, holding the phone a few inches from her ear. She didn't hear most of Doyle's reply, just a vague apology and goodbye before the line went dead. Cordy was mostly just thankful that the noise had gone away and that Spike was doing something other than getting drunk and moping, which apparently had been his main activities throughout the morning. Maybe being loud was his next step towards recovery, she considered as she took her food over to the couch and sat down to eat, considering what colour she might paint the living room when she'd actually earned enough money to pay for the supplies.

"Spike!" Doyle bellowed from the bedroom door for the fourth time and to no avail as the bleached blond kept his back to his friend and played his guitar too loudly. With a string of unheard curse words, Doyle knelt down by the amp and pulled out the cable, silencing the music his friend was making and causing him to spin round fast with a look like thunder on his face.

"What the bloody hell did you do that for!" he complained and the Irishman looked at him incredulously.

"Spike, man, the neighbours have been bangin' on the floor and the ceiling both" he explained, "And I myself was two seconds away from havin' my brain run out my ears!"

"What brain?" Spike shot back, only semi-joking and Doyle looked somewhere between amused and angry.

"Oh, right, I get it" he said with a look, "Think you'll take out your woman trouble on me now? Well, think again, man, I'm not bearing the brunt of this little misunderstanding or whatever the hell it is you've had with Miss Buffy Summers"

"I don't want to talk about her" Spike said, looking away, "Don't even want to think about her, stupid bloody bint" he swore, kicking an empty can across the carpet out of temper.

"Not sayin' I want to talk about her either, man, but whatever the hell happened with you two wants fixin' and fast" Doyle told him in no uncertain terms, "So deal with it, as soon as, right?" he said, before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

Spike watched his friend go and thought carefully about his next move. Doyle was right, he did need to do something about Buffy. She should never have got to him, made him feel all this stuff, mixed him up so bad, even worse than Dru had.

"Gotta move on" he said to himself, though he wasn't entirely sure it was possibly, he was bloody well going to try. No woman was going to control him, not this time.

_To Be Continued..._


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N : I know I'm probably driving you guys crazy with the almost-Spuffy, but hey, it's just my style. I have a plan, and in the end there will be happy Spuffyness, you just gotta ride out the waves a while longer!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 14

"Yo, Spike, where the hell you been, man!" Faith called from the back of stage when the bleached blond finally got into the club a half hour late for rehearsals.

Spike didn't say a word as he strode over to the stage and hopped up onto it, plugging his guitar into the amp and checking the levels. Like he was running on automatic he started playing 'Welcome to the Hellmouth' and the rest of the band just looked at each other for a moment before joining in. They all knew Spike well enough to realise this was one of his bad days and he was not to be messed with. They'd just play what he wanted to play, not ask too many questions and he'd get over it given time, he always did. Even Dru hadn't knocked him back for long.

Spike wasn't up to talking and was glad his friends realised that. Though Doyle had told him to get over it and he'd told himself the same thing, Spike found it wasn't quite as easy as all that. The one thing that helped dull the pain some was his music. If anything could overwhelm his senses enough to lock out most other feelings it was playing his guitar and singing as he loved to do.

They played the whole of their regular set without stopping, minus Lovers Walk which Spike skipped over without a word. He didn't want to think about that particular composition anymore. It no longer reminded him of happy times with Dru but painful ones with Buffy. He loved her, and yet hated her at the same time. He didn't know how it was possible, even with Drusilla the two emotions had never been so overwhelmingly intense and at the very same moment. He closed his eyes and pushed her out of his mind as much as possible as they played on.

It was half way through the final song that something caught his attention. Spike had opened his eyes again, but wished he hadn't when he saw Buffy and Angel enter the building, arm in arm and laughing at some joke or other. The sight of them made him wince and his fingers tied in knots of their own accord, ruining the song he was attempting to play. Xander, Oz, and Faith spotted his problem and one by one also stopped playing.

"Oh" Buffy looked stunned to see them, shock turning to pain and guilt as her eyes fixed on Spike. He looked away quickly, unable to bear it.

"Why are you here?" Angel asked any member of the band that cared to answer, "Your practice time was over at least a half hour ago" he pointed out.

"Spike was late" Faith told him, "Didn't think it'd matter much"

"It's fine" Buffy told her, ushering Angel towards the staff door, "We'll just be in my office..." she trailed off as Angel went through the door and she made to follow, stopping to glance at Spike open more time, but he still wouldn't or couldn't look at her.

"Like we need her permission to be here" Faith snarled, only to have Xander reprimand her with a look and a tilt of the head towards Spike. Now was not the time for opinions about Buffy, especially when they didn't know exactly what had happened between her and their bleached blond friend.

"Right then" Spike ground out, crouching down by his guitar case and pulling out some papers. It was the first two words he'd uttered all afternoon and caught the other band members a little off-guard.

"New song?" Oz enquired as a page was thrust into his hand. Spike didn't replay, just handed a copy each to Faith and Xander who eyed the arrangement appreciatively.

"No lyric?" the drummer frowned slightly and Spike smirked at her.

"Not on paper" he told her cryptically, adjusting his guitar and looking to the girl to count them in. She did so with a shrug and the band made their first attempt at the new song Spike had composed just last night.

'_Tell me what you really think  
__'Cos I don't believe a word you say  
__Tell me why you think it's right  
__How you can call this thing okay_

_It isn't love, that's what you said  
__But does that make it true?  
__Wish you had a slight idea  
__Of what I feel for you!_

_Smashed and Wrecked, my life's in pieces  
__Save me from this prison cell  
__No-one warned me how you'd treat me  
__Didn't want this kind of hell_

_Smashed and Wrecked, my life's in pieces  
__Torment hits me from all sides  
__No way up, I fall down deeper  
__Drowning in a hopeless tide_

_Didn't want to feel this way  
__Tried to stop it, tried to fight  
__Want to cut you out of my heart  
__Never felt so bad inside_

_Did you know just what you'd do  
__When you played around with me  
__Wish that you'd have clued me in, girl  
__Warned me just how it would be_

_Smashed and Wrecked, my life's in pieces  
__Save me from this prison cell  
__No-one warned me how you'd treat me  
__Didn't want this kind of hell_

_Smashed and Wrecked, my life's in pieces  
__Torment hits me from all sides  
__No way up, I fall down deeper  
__Drowning in a hopeless tide'_

The band shared looks amongst themselves as the song went on. There was no doubt their friend had been used and hurt by a woman, and given the way they behaved around each other before it was likely to be Buffy. She seemed to be super-glued to Angel when he was around and yet the tension between her and Spike was always going to cause an explosion eventually. Seemed it'd happened, and now she was pushing him away whilst Spike had fallen deeper than he ought to have done, just like he had with Drusilla. She was the only other woman he'd ever been in love with and after she hurt him so badly, he swore never to let another into his heart. Now it was looking as if Buffy had found her way in and was less than happy to be there.

Given the mess Spike had been last time with Dru, and the angry music he was already writing because of it, it seemed rough times were ahead.

* * *

"We have got to get this office sound-proofed for you" Angel commented as the walls vibrated from the force of the music being practised in the main club, "They call that music? I heard more tuneful stuff coming from broken household appliances" 

"It's not so bad" Buffy said absently as she searched in all the desk drawers for some piece of paper she claimed to need, "I mean, the customers like it"

"All I can say is they must be semi-deaf" Angel smirked trying to ignore the din coming through the wall as he turned back to Buffy and found her looking almost in tears.

"I can't find it, I'm not even sure I know what I'm looking for" she said, slamming drawers frustradely, "Why did I ever come here and try to run this place, I should've known it'd lead to no good"

"Buffy, sweetheart" Angel said, getting hold of her and pulling her round to face him, "It's okay, bad stuff happens but it'll be fine" he assured her with a smile, "I mean, things haven't been great between us lately but we'll work at it, it'll be good again"

"Angel, don't push" she said, wriggling out of his arms and backing up a step. Of course she hadn't told Angel why she really had problems with the club and most especially her office lately. He had no idea that just a couple of days ago she'd been here with Spike, making love on the very desk he was standing by right now. She told herself it wasn't about love, just lust. It was a physical thing, animal attraction, only sex, nothing more. If she told herself that enough times, she could just about believe it. After all, she couldn't be with a guy like Spike. He wasn't from her world, she wasn't from his.

Angel was the type of guy she'd always dated, that she'd planned to marry. He was decent, normal, sensible, her parents liked him, and he was of her social standing and class for want of a better word. Spike was just something she'd done, and she was over it now. Her parents, her friends, nobody would understand if she told them, with the slight exception of Willow who had always been her confidante. Nobody else knew about what she'd done with Spike, and nobody was ever going to. She was back with Angel now and things were going to work out. She wondered though, why she couldn't quite bring herself to put her engagement ring back on yet.

When she'd gone to see Angel, she'd explained she hadn't been herself lately, that she felt different since she got the club, like she was finally growing up and finding herself for the first time. Though she told Angel she loved him and she thought she meant it, she needed time to think, to reassess her life. He'd accepted that for the time being they would take a step back, just go back to dating and not have the pressure of marriage hanging over them. He'd been so understanding, Buffy had cried, and yet she wondered if he liked the plan so much because she was giving him what he wanted. Didn't his agreeing to her suggestions so easily just prove he didn't care much about their relationship either, or did it mean he loved her enough to go with whatever she wanted? Buffy didn't know anymore, she just wished she did.

"Buffy, I still love, you know that" Angel was saying when the blonde tuned back into her surroundings, "I know things have been rough, you've been under stress and I haven't been there for you like I should but... I'm really hoping things can be good between us again"

"Me too" Buffy nodded, though she was conflicted even on her two word answer, unsure if she meant that or not.

"I know you're not ready to wear your engagement ring right now but... well, I got you this" Angel said, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket and handing it to her, "I hope it's okay"

Tentatively, Buffy opened the box and gasped at the ring that was inside. The gold band had tiny diamonds set all the way around it in a complete circle.

"The circle has no beginning or end" Angel told her, "Like my love for you. It means I'll love you for eternity" he explained as a new wave of guilt washed over Buffy and she felt sick, "Will you wear it?" her boyfriend asked her and the words stuck in her throat. Buffy merely nodded, not knowing what else to do as Angel took the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger.

As she fought the urge to burst into tears, he pulled her into a hug and then kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you, Buffy" he promised her, "No matter what else happens or doesn't, that's always true"

"I know" she forced out the words, nodding and causing two tears to roll down her cheeks. She hastily wiped them away and fought to regain her composure, though Angel noticed he never did say she loved him too.

"I have stuff to do here, Angel" she said after a moment, sitting down on the chair by the desk, "You don't have to wait for me, I could be a while"

"Okay, message received and understood" he nodded knowing that meant she needed space right now.

With a promise to call her, he finally left and Buffy let the flood gates open. She cried like a child, feeling so lost and confused about everything. She'd cheated on Angel, he might have cheated on her, but two wrongs don't make a right, and then there was Spike to consider. She'd hurt him too, she knew she had and she wanted to make it right, but she didn't know how, and so she just cried.

* * *

It was an hour til the club was due to open. After the band had finished practising, Spike had gone home and come back with Doyle and Cordelia to get the bar ready, and take the stools down off the tables, and so forth. Buffy was locked away in her office still, long since done crying but still not really able to face doing any work. She'd heard the door slam behind the band when they left, the fact that the office had stopped shaking had given away that practice was over anyway. 

The poor young woman had only noticed quite how long she'd sat staring at the same spot, going over everything in her head, until the door slammed again and voices could be heard. Spike, Doyle, and Cordelia, plus some other staff filtered in one and two at a time to set up her club for opening. She'd have to go out there and face everybody, she knew that, and that wasn't really so difficult. The only hardship would be facing Spike. The last time they'd been in the same room alone together they'd got as close as two human beings could and then she'd shut him down right when he'd told her his true feelings, that he loved her.

Buffy told herself he was mistaken, that he'd got caught up in the moment, and he couldn't really feel that way about her. She certainly didn't love him, of course she didn't, she never could.

All these thoughts were still spinning through her head as she tried to concentrate on her well practised little speech she'd planned, the words she'd say to Spike that would make everything okay again. She knew she was a fool to believe it would be so easy, but she had to, the alternative was to go completely crazy.

Spike was behind the bar when she emerged through the Staff Only door into the main club.

Doyle and Cordy were across the other side of the room, laughing and messing around. Buffy smiled at the sight of them getting on so well. They made a very cute couple.

"Love's young dream, eh?" Spike sneered as he looked up at them, "Bloody idiots. Doesn't he realise she'll just stomp all over his feelings? 'S what these bitches do"

"Spike" Buffy sighed as she walked over to him, "We kinda have to talk" she said, glad the rest of the staff seemed to be otherwhere and not within earshot of this conversation.

"Why's that then, luv?" he said coldly as he continued to put bottles of various mixers onto the shelves behind the bar, "Thought you'd said all there was to say"

"Things got said, Spike" Buffy said awkwardly, "things happened and we can't just... It was a mistake" she forced out eventually, unable to look at him, which was probably a good thing since Spike knew he couldn't face her properly either, it was why he continued to work keeping his back to her and his face out of her view as she spoke.

"Mistake, right, whatever you say, pet" he said, almost managing to sound nonchalant, with just a hint of pain shining through that Buffy tried to ignore.

"It would never work between us, we don't have anything... It was just a thing, and it happened, and now it's done" she went on to say, not at all how she'd planed to but all the carefully organised words got terribly jumbled or disappeared completely the moment she'd laid eyes on Spike.

"You finished yet, luv, cos I'm sort of busy here" he told her, still not daring to look at her for fear he'd do something stupid, like confess his love all over again and try to kiss her, or maybe just cry like a baby, which is what he felt like doing most right now. To his credit, he covered his emotional turmoil terribly well.

"I just... Spike, please, I want us to be friends, like before" she said desperately, realising that her hand on his arm had been a big mistake as he looked at her and she rocked drowning in his deep blue eyes, just like she had once before.

"Friends?" Spike smirked, though there was pain in his eyes he pulled his arm out of her reach and pushed past her, "We were never friends before, luv. Sure as hell can't be now" he told her as he walked away from her, tears in his eyes that he was determined nobody would see.

_To Be Continued..._


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N : A little time lapse to this chapter, since things needed to move on a bit. I apologise in advance for lack of actual Spuffy but I promise there will be some very soon.  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 15

"Well, I was startin' to wonder if I'd ever see the day when I'd get this far with you" Doyle smirked as he pushed the chair in for Cordelia and moved around the table to sit opposite her, "You and me on a dinner date? Figured that'd be another month at least before we got to this"

"Stop" Cordy blushed slightly at his words, "You make me sound like I didn't even like you"

"I was startin' to get that distinct impression darlin'" Doyle admitted, "Somehow I wasn't translating 'Get out of my way and leave me alone you stupid little leprechaun' as 'My God you're the most gorgeous hunk of a man I ever met'" he told her with a look.

"It's called playing hard to get, Doyle" she pointed out, trying not to let him embarrass her too much, but he was one of the few people who seemed to be able to manage it somehow. Maybe it was because she liked him more than she'd thought, but then Cordy had started to realise that if she really did feel something for the Irishman she needed to do something about it, or she was going to end up miserable, like her friends.

It was a whole month since she'd caught Buffy and Spike kissing in the office at the Bronze, and she was fairly certain something more than that had happened later. Ever since they'd both been so out of sorts, not at all happy, and she hated to see it.

"So, what changed your mind then, princess?" Doyle was eager to know, "My Irish charm finally just get the better of you, or was there a bigger reason for you suddenly accepting my offer of dinner?"

"It was kind of you" she told him as she glanced at the menu in her hands and then back at the man opposite her, "Kind of Buffy and Spike"

"Ah, yes, our two favourite blondes and their interesting little relationship" Doyle sighed, "I could bang their heads together, so I could"

"It's crazy, I mean they are so totally into each other" Cordy shook her head, "And yet she's still with Angel, and he's pretending he doesn't care and I just can't believe how nuts they're acting"

"It's frustrating enough working with 'em, I know" Doyle agreed, "But you try going home at night and enduring an evenin' with the lad" he complained, "I mean, Spike's my mate, like a brother even, but there's only so much more I can take of this. He's either drinkin' himself into oblivion, or he's shut in his room writing songs loud enough to wake the dead" he told the woman opposite him who frowned.

"Buffy isn't any happier" she sighed, "I want to talk to her about it but... it's been a while since we were the kind of friends that share all that stuff, but I still know things aren't right" she explained, "Her eyes used to light up when she saw Angel, now it's like she barely notices he's there. Not that I'm saying she should make things better with Angel, cos trust me, he's had his share of affairs too"

"Really?" Doyle frowned, "Didn't think the big lunk-head had it in him to be the unfaithful type, doesn't look too bright"

"He does the brooding block of wood thing pretty well, but a devious brain works behind that caveman brow" she said knowingly as they both looked at their menus and told the waiter who had just arrived at their table what they would like to eat.

"Well, so far we've been out on this date for thirty minutes and all we've talked about is Buffy and Spike's lives" Doyle said, checking his watch, "How about we try to go the next five minutes at least talking about somethin' much more charmin? Like say, you?" he smirked as Cordelia nodded her head.

"Couldn't have picked a better topic myself" she giggled, already enjoying herself much more than she'd expected too.

* * *

"Will?" Oz said her name again, jostling her shoulders when she didn't respond.

They were laid out on the couch at her apartment, his arm around her as they snuggled and watched a movie on TV. He'd asked her a question a couple of minutes ago and as yet Willow had made no attempts to answer him. He'd thought she was asleep at first but her eyes were wide open and pointed at the screen - he was getting a little worried now.

"You okay, honey?" he checked as the young woman finally looked at him.

"Huh?" she said, having not been paying attention at all, "I was watching the movie" she told him, though it wasn't the entire truth. Though she'd appeared to be looking at the TV screen she'd taken in none of the pictures or dialogue for the past half hour at least.

Knowing there was something wrong, Oz flipped off the TV and twisted to face his girlfriend.

"Sweetie, if there's something worrying you, I wish you'd tell me" he said gently and Willow looked down at where her hands were fidgeting in her lap.

"I'm sorry" she said guiltily, "I didn't mean to spoil the movie or our date I just... I can't stop worrying about Buffy" she admitted.

"Did something happen?" Oz checked, "With Buffy, I mean. Is she okay?"

"Well, yes, she's okay, in the medical way and the obvious ways and everything, but she's not actually okay in the okay way" she rambled and Oz blinked strangely as he tried to untangle her mixed up sentence in his head.

"I'm not explaining this very well" Willow sighed, shaking her head, "It's just, she was always so happy with Angel, and things are just different now"

"Since Spike came along" said Oz, and though Willow did not deny or confirm that statement, he knew it was true.

"I know something happened with them" she told him, "The big 'something'" she said pointedly and Oz nodded that he understood what she meant. He'd suspected things had gone way further with Buffy and Spike than they perhaps should've, there was just no way his friend would be in such a mess over the boss-lady if their relationship hadn't gone to a whole new level before it crashed and burned.

"After that I thought she was going to end things with Angel and choose Spike" Willow continued, "And I wasn't sure whether it was a good or bad thing, I mean, I didn't know Spike too well and Buffy and Angel had been together so long... Then she stayed with him and now Spike's all kinda broken, isn't he?"

"He's not himself" Oz agreed, "There's deep pain and stuff but Spike's not a big talker about feelings"

"Neither is Buffy lately" Willow sighed, "And I want to be there for her, be a good friend and act all supportive but I just keep thinking she might've made the wrong decision"

"That's not for us to say, honey" her boyfriend told her and she nodded that she already knew that.

"I wish it was" she said sadly, "I hate to see people I care about hurting so much. Buffy's been one of my best friends for years and now I know she's in a bad place and I just don't know how to help her out"

"All we can do is be there for the two of them if they want us to be" Oz shrugged, "I'm sorry it's not easier than that, sweetie, but we can't fix the world and make it all a fairytale" he told her, putting a hand to her face, "If we could, I would, for you"

"You already do" Willow managed a smile as she looked at him, "I kinda feel like the princess in the fairytale when I'm with you" she said, blushing because she couldn't believe she was saying this stuff out loud, "I didn't think a guy like you would ever want to go out with me but it's kinda like a fairytale that you like me so much"

"Who couldn't like you?" Oz smiled as he leaned in close and kissed her lips.

It may have only a month since they first met but already Oz knew he was falling head over heels in love with Willow Rosenburg. He hadn't really believed in love at first sight til he met her, but now he believed anything was possible, even maybe Buffy and Spike finding happiness one day.

* * *

"I am sorry about this, Buffy, really I am" Angel apologised as he threw the last few things in his suitcase and started to fasten it shut.

"It's okay, no big" she forced a smile, though she was crying a river inside. She'd been hoping every day for almost a month now that with a little effort she and Angel could make things good like they used to be. She accepted it when he said he hadn't cheated with Darla, and kept her own one day affair with Spike a secret. Things should've been okay by now, but they weren't.

"If I had a choice, I wouldn't be leaving like this but..." Angel began but Buffy cut him off.

"I know, it's okay, your job has to come first" she said, forcing back tears. Of course, her boyfriend assumed she was upset to see him go, he had no idea her problem was more so that she didn't care he was leaving for a while.

Buffy wanted to care about Angel, wanted to love him, wanted to want him at least, but she couldn't anymore, she didn't have it in her. Spike had taken over her mind first and then slowly crept into her heart. She hated him for it, but a part of her loved him just a little bit too and there was simply nothing she could do to stop it.

She tried to be Spike's friend, but they both found that pretty much impossible. They fought like cat and dog, much like they had when she first took over the Bronze, but sometimes their eyes would meet and behind all the pain and venom they both knew there was something else still there, something deep and meaningful and that was getting harder to deny every day.

"Buffy?" Angel was standing right in front of her and the blonde hadn't even noticed til his hand landed on her shoulder and he called her name again.

"I'm sorry, what?" she said, glancing up at him.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" he checked, looking so genuinely concerned that Buffy felt terribly guilty for not paying more attention to him.

"I'm fine" she said softly, her voice not coming out quite right, "Did you ask me something before?" she checked, vaguely recalling there being a question.

"I was just wondering if maybe you'd be taking Willow to LA next Friday now that I can't go?" he asked her, "You could make a girls weekend out of it, go shopping and everything. Y'know I think you could use the R & R" he told her, kissing her forehead.

"Maybe" Buffy nodded in agreement as Angel disappeared off to the the room to get the rest of his things together.

The trip to LA had quite escaped Buffy's mind til just now. Her father had sent her the invitation to a very high class evening at the Hyperion Hotel. Anybody who was anybody in local business circles would be there and given that she was Hank Summers daughter and now owned the Bronze Buffy was eligible to attend. She and Angel had planned to make a weekend of it, staying at the Hyperion Friday and Saturday, the night of the event, before travelling back late on Sunday.

Of course now Angel would be otherwhere with his own important business colleagues from Wolfram & Hart, no doubt including Miss Darla MacKenzie who seemed so determined to get her claws into Angel, and who may already have had some fun with him.

Buffy wished she could feel hurt by that, or angry about it, but she couldn't. She'd cheated too, and she couldn't bear to tell Angel that. If they split up she'd be left alone with only Spike to turn to. She'd have to admit what she might feel for him, and things would happen that shouldn't. He wasn't her equal, and yet he had some kind of power over her. Buffy was too afraid of what she felt, as well as what Spike might feel, to let anything more happen between them, even if that meant being permanately miserable as an alternative.

* * *

Spike shut the front doors to the Bronze with a bang and locked them up tight. Another night was over, another night of seeing happy couples laughing and kissing and having a good time, celebrating anniversaries, enjoying first dates, and being so sickeningly in love.

Swinging back behind the bar, Spike helped himself to a large bourbon and drank it down in one. The alcohol burned his throat, but ultimately did little dull the pain he felt inside.

Buffy Summers. God he'd hated her when she'd first shown up and announced she was taking over the Bronze. He'd hated how she assumed they'd just take orders from her because Daddy bought her a new doll-house to play with. He was nobody's puppet and yet he'd ended up dancing to her tune.

He loved her, it was as simple and as painfully tragic as that. William 'Spike' Blackstone had fallen in love for just the second time in his life and it had brought him even more pain than the first time, despite the fact his 'romantic relationship' with Buffy had actually consisted of a couple of kisses and one incredible shag on her desk.

Over the past month, Spike had felt very much like he was on a merry-go-round. One day he'd blame Buffy for how bad he felt, for making him fall in love with her then backing off like she had. Some days he'd blame himself for letting himself love to easily like he'd always promised himself he never would again. Other days it was Angel's fault for not being a good enough man for Buffy and causing her to want to stray, and sometimes when he was drunk and out of sensible options Spike would blame Doyle or Faith or anybody who got in his way for just how wretched he felt.

"Gotta get over this!" he told himself sternly as he gulped down another drink and then set about cleaning up the bar for the night. Still, Spike knew no matter how many drinks he got through, how many pain filled songs he wrote, or how many girls he bedded, nothing was going to help him get over Buffy. He was in love with a woman who could never love him back - he was doomed.

_To Be Continued..._


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N : How can Spike love Buffy in this story? Same way he loved her on the show! Maybe it's hard to believe that there's love beneath all the anger and outrage and bitchyness, but it makes sense to me...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc.- see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 16

"Knock, knock!" Willow called, trying to look cheery as she peered around the door to Buffy's office.

"Hey, Will" the blonde managed a smile when she saw her friend, "You have a fun with Oz last night?" she asked as the red-head came into the office and sat down opposite Buffy, a blush coming to her cheeks.

"Fun was had" she admitted with a shy smile, "He's just so great, Buffy. He treats me like a lady, and when he looks at me it's like the whole world disappears, and then he kisses me and... I don't ever have words for what that's like"

"That's great" Buffy smiled, though there were tears in her eyes that betrayed her real feelings. She was jealous as hell of her friends and the great romantic relationships they had. She and Angel hadn't been the same for a long time now. She no longer felt tingles and shivers and heart-thumpingly overwhelmed when he looked at her or kissed her, not even when they made love anymore, though they hadn't been very physical with each other for almost a month, ever since she and Spike had been together.

"I'm sorry, am I being insensitive gal?" Willow checked, looking worried, "Did you and Angel have a fight or..."

"No, no fightage, I swear" Buffy sighed, "Just, he had to go away again for his work and we were supposed to be going to LA next weekend, kind of a special coupley thing"

"And he won't be back by then?" Willow asked with a frown, "There's no way he could try to be back?"

"He says no" Buffy shook her head, "But hey, it could be a good thing" she said, trying to sound chipper, "If Angel can't go, I can take my best friend instead. How about it Will, a girls weekend in LA. What do you say?"

"Oh, sweetie, I'd love to" the red-head said, looking pained, "But next Saturday is mine and Oz's anniversary, one month since our first official date" she explained.

"Oh" Buffy's face fell a little but she covered quickly, she didn't want her friend to feel bad for this, "Hey, that's fine. I can take somebody else, or maybe I'll even be a big brave girl and go it alone" she grinned a little too much, and Willow knew she's disappointed her.

"Don't go alone, Buffy" she urged her, "I mean, there are lots of people you could go with, maybe Cordy or one of the other girls, or y'know there's always Spike"

"Oh Willow please tell me you're kidding" Buffy's eyes went wide as she looked at her friend in disbelief, "Spike and I can barely have a civil conversation these days, we could so not spend a whole weekend together"

"Buffy" Willow sighed, "You know I don't like sticking in my nose where it's not wanted but, sweetie, you can't just... You two can't go on pretending you hate each other when the whole world knows that what you really feel is so way opposite" she said carefully hoping she didn't cause the blonde to explode in anger or burst into tears. She'd sat by and watched the past days and weeks as things only got worse with Buffy and Spike. Finally it had gotten the better of her and she had to say something before the pressure of staying silent drove her crazy!

"Willow, please don't" Buffy shook her head, "I can't... There's just no way I can deal with the whole me and Spike situation, it's too complicated"

"Why?" her friend wanted to know, "Because of Angel?" she guessed, "Buffy, he's not here. Lately he's a lot more not here than he is actually here, and I don't wanna get all accusey but d'you really believe it's a completely business arrangement he has with Darla Mackenzie?" she asked, unable to stop herself giving opinion after opinion once she got into the flow.

"I know" Buffy admitted quietly, "I know he probably cheated before, and maybe that he still is now but Willow, I did too" she cried, "Me and Spike, right here on this desk" she said in near hysterics, "And my God Will, it was the best experience of my life" she admitted, clamping her hand over her mouth right afterwards as tears streamed down her face.

"Oh, Buffy" Willow said, face and tone full of sympathy as she hurried around the desk and hugged her friend to her, "Honey, you can't go on like this"

"I don't know what to do" she admitted, crying hard, "I didn't want to like him, but I couldn't help it, and then Angel was so distant and Spike was here, I wanted him so much and he wanted me and we just..." she couldn't explain anymore, she didn't know how and tears took her voice away every time she tried.

"It's okay Buffy" Willow told her, "We'll figure this out, I promise"

Buffy was not so convinced that things could be as easily fixed as her friend said, but she really hoped she was right. She couldn't take much more of this.

* * *

Spike winced as he heard Cordelia giggling down in the cellar with Doyle. He wondered why the Irishman was taking so long fetching up some more bottles of soft drinks, now he understood.

"Oi, you two!" he yelled down to them, "How about movin' your bloody asses and doin' some work instead of feeling each other up!"

He waited a few moments and the pair duly emerged, Cordy re-arranging her hair whilst Doyle did up the top couple of buttons on his shirt.

"You're a bloody spoil-sport, mate, y'know that don'tcha?" he checked.

Spike didn't look at all amused.

"What I am is pissed off with having to do all the bleedin' work round here whilst you two get your kicks in the basement" he said, almost nastily. Cordy huffed at that.

"Oh like it would bother you if not for your lack of progress with Buffy" she said giving him a look, not the least bit phased by the anger that flared in his eyes at that comment, "You're not getting any, so nobody is supposed to, is that it?" she asked hands on her hips as she stared him down, "Well, newsflash Blondie, you want Buffy so much, try actually telling her instead of moping around, singing your sad songs, and crying into your Jack Daniels every night!" she said haughtily before walking away with her nose in the air.

She liked to give her opinion and hear her own voice even now, even after being brought down a peg or two by her family's fall from grace. Sometimes people just needed to be told how stupid they were being, and Spike and Buffy were two of those people.

They liked each other, it was so obvious there was practically a neon sign that appeared every time they got within three feet of each other and it was driving Cordy nuts seeing them give each other a wide berth and only speak to each other when they absolutely had to. One of them had to get over themselves and make the first move or she might just have to bang their heads together in an attempt to knock some sense into them!

Spike was fuming after the way Cordy had spoke to him, even though he knew she was right. Doyle had immediately apologised on his girlfriends behalf, and told his friend that perhaps he ought to go outside for a breath of fresh air before returning to the club and facing the rest of the staff.

Without a word the bleached blond went towards the back of the building and out through the door into the alley. He lit a cigarette and leant against the cold stone wall, blowing out smoke and attempting to be calm. His eyes were shut and his brain otherwise occupied, he didn't notice the door open and close to the left of him as a second person came out into the alley to join him.

"Y'know those things will kill you?" Buffy said, not knowing where else to begin as she stood awkwardly a few feet from Spike. He smirked as he took another puff of his cigarette, eyes still closed when he answered her.

"You reckon so, pet?" he said, before standing up straight and looking right at her, "Startin' to think it'll be women that'll be the death of me"

"Spike" she sighed, hating how badly they'd both handled the situation they found themselves in, "We need to talk"

"No good and uplifting conversation ever started with that sentence" Spike said knowingly as he dropped the butt of his spent cigarette to the ground and crushed it with the heel of his Doc Marten, "Can't imagine we've got much to say to each other that's worth hearing"

"Well, maybe I wanna try anyway" Buffy told him, "I can't stand this atmosphere between us. I meant what I said about us being friends..."

"And I meant it when I said, we never were and never could be" Spike snapped at her, looking and sounding as if he were getting increasingly annoyed.

"I don't see why not" she lied, knowing it would be near impossible for them to get along without wanting more, still they had to try.

Buffy knew it was crazy but she was starting to think there was a chance she might be in love with Spike. When she'd admitted as such to Willow, she'd expected the red-head to be stunned and disgusted, the first part she got but the second, not at all. Her friend understood completely, and thought no less of Buffy for what she'd done or what she felt.

'I figured there had to be love in there somewhere between you two' she'd said, 'You wouldn't be acting so weird otherwise. It's love that makes you do the wacky' she'd smiled, and Buffy wished she could find a similar expression right now but she couldn't, not whilst Spike continued to be all angry and snappy with her, hardly looking at her despite the fact they were supposed to be having a conversation.

"If you don't know why we can't be friends, luv" he told her, "Then you're even thicker than I ever thought you were" he sighed, moving to go back into the building. Buffy got in his way.

"I'm not the idiot here" she snapped right back at him, "You, you're being ridiculous! All angry and grr, and all I wanna do is have a conversation"

"You got somethin' to say, pet, for bleedin' hell's sake just bloody say it would you, so we can both get on with more exciting things than prattling on about nothing much in back alleys" Spike said, head tilting to one side as he stared at her, waiting for her to answer him.

"I... I have a business trip to LA next weekend" she blurted out suddenly, "I want you to come with me"

There was a look of disbelief in Spike's eyes as he started to laugh at that. It wasn't a genuine laugh, but laced with pain and incredulity. After all they'd been through, the weeks they'd spent trying to get over each other and move on, with little result, and now she expected him to want to go away for the weekend with her to some business event, like they were good mates or something. It really was genuinely laughable.

"You're some piece of work, Summers" he shook his head as his laughter subsided, "One minute you hate me, the next we're shagging on your desk. Next thing, I turn around and I'm back to being scum, and suddenly we're going on a happy little jaunt to LA like the best of friends?" he mostly yelled, "Well, thanks but no thanks, luv. Can do without the rocketing stress levels and mixed bloody signals" he told her, before pushing past her and slamming back into the building.

Tears were in Buffy's eyes as she watched him go. She wanted to run after at him, screaming what an asshole he was and asking how he dared to speak to her that way. The only problem was, she knew he was right. She was sending mixed messages his way, and she knew it, and yet she couldn't help it. Things were so confused in her own head and heart, it was practically impossible for her to be clear when explaining herself to anyone else. Buffy wanted to tell Spike how she felt, but in all honesty she still hadn't figured it out for herself, and until she did, she was in one hell of a fix.

* * *

Spike was practically breathing fire as he stormed through the Bronze. Doyle called to him as he strode past, but got no response as the bleached blond went right through the bar area, towards the front doors and let himself out into the parking lot where he finally felt he could breathe. He'd hated speaking to Buffy the way he had, especially when he saw her eyes welling up with tears, the look of pain on her face. Damn it, she'd hurt him too, why she shouldn't he get his shot in when he had the chance, he asked himself, but it didn't make him feel any better.

As much as he wished he hated her, Spike knew he was in love with Buffy Summers and probably always would be. It was for his reason that he could never be her friend, he'd always want more and part of him believed she felt the same, though he couldn't be one hundred percent sure. She was still with that pratt Angel, but that wasn't to say she loved him more, just that she scared to leave the great git.

Cordelia had filled in a few blanks on that score, some herself and some via Doyle. Pieces of conversations Spike had overheard them have had covered a lot of it. Angel was the only real boyfriend Buffy had ever had, it would make sense for her to be wary of getting involved with anyone new, especially when they weren't the kind of person she was used to. People in her world of rich folks with platinum cards and bunches of lackeys to do their work for them, those she understood, whilst Spike only had any real knowledge of those in his own class, for want of a better word. They came from different sides of the divide and it bothered both of them, but her more so than him it seemed.

Whilst Spike could admit he was in love with Buffy, she was less confident in her feelings. He couldn't really blame her for being uncertain, and he guessed she hadn't meant to make things worse when she asked him to go on her trip with her. No doubt WonderBoy Angel had done a disappearing act again, another of his trips with the bint called Darla whom he'd also heard about.

Out of pure frustration, Spike kicked the trash can at his side. It fell over with an almighty crash and it was fortunate it had been emptied moments before or the mess could've been substantial. The loud noise caused Doyle to come running outside.

"What the bloody hell are you tryin' to do, man? Scare us all to death?" he checked.

Spike didn't answer, just shook his head, shoved his hands in his pockets, and walked back inside without a word.

_To Be Continued..._


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N : Fluffy Spuffyness is on it's way, I promise. Just gotta work through some stuff on the way to that.  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 17

"You got everything?" Willow checked as she stood with Buffy by her car, watching her put her bags into the back.

"It's just a weekend in LA, Will" the blonde reminded her with a weak smile, "It's not like I need that much stuff"

"I'm sorry I can't come with" her friend told her, looking guilty, "I hate the idea of you going away all by yourself, even if it is just a weekend"

"It's no big" Buffy lied, knowing she was hating the idea of being by herself for two whole days. Time alone was time to think and doing that only led to badness lately. Spike filled her head, thoughts of all the time they'd spent together since they'd first met; fighting, talking, laughing, kissing, and more. She shivered involuntarily, bringing herself out of her semi-daze as Willow apologised again for not being able to join her on her trip.

"Will, please, stop with the sorrys already" Buffy urged her, "I get that you have a thing with Oz this weekend, it's your anniversary and you like each other so much, I'm just so happy for you, really" she assured her, feeling anything but happy in reality. Still, she did mean what she said. She was pleased to see Willow and Oz getting along so well.

It was a little weird, Buffy so hadn't expected her best friend to end up with rock-star guy, she'd always thought it'd be some smart, rich, fancy type with a double-barrelled last name and plans to take over his father's business one day. Oz was a world away from the made up man in Buffy's head, a guitarist whom to her knowledge didn't have a first or last name, he was just Oz, who changed his hair colour with his mood, but clearly adored Willow. That made every other thing about him pointless and unimportant.

"Buffy, I really think..." the red-head began, looking at her shoes and up again before continuing, "I know it's fast but, I think this could be it, y'know? I kinda love him" she smiled, blushing just from saying the words, as if she was confessing something much worse.

"I am so happy for you Will, that's great" Buffy smiled, hugging her friend, "I so want this to work out for you"

"I wanted things to work out for you too" Willow told her as she hugged her back, "I mean, I know there's Angel, but I kinda thought..." she shifted awkwardly as they parted and Buffy looked so sad, "What about Spike?" Willow dared to ask, hoping to avoid her friend bursting into to tears and/or getting angry.

"I don't know" the blonde sighed, "I thought I had feelings, and he said he had feelings, and it seemed like we could... and now..." she closed her eyes as her sentences devolved into fragments and tears threatened to spill down her cheeks, "I guess it just wasn't meant to be" she said with a shrug and a forced smile that wasn't half so nonchalant as she would've liked.

Willow looked like she might cry too, for the sake of her friend who she was sure was only sticking with Angel because it was easier, and not because she really loved him at all anymore. She was certain now, more than ever, that Buffy's feelings for Spike ran as deep as feelings could run, and from what she'd seen of the man himself as well as heard from Oz, she was almost a hundred percent certain the lead singer of The Chosen felt the same way.

"I really have to go" Buffy reminded her friend, hugging her once again, before getting in her car and starting up the engine.

"Call when you get there" Willow told her and the blonde nodded a promise that she would, before putting the car in gear and driving away.

* * *

Friday night passed without a hitch at the Bronze. Buffy had told Doyle that he and Spike were in charge til she returned, but hadn't even offered so much as a goodbye to the bleached blond. He was uncharacteristically quiet whilst he was working, not really talking to the staff or the customers any more than he had to. Neither Doyle or Cordelia said anything to him and hoped that his jam session with the band the next morning would boost his spirits.

The Chosen always practised in the Bronze on a Saturday afternoon but this particular week the session had been shifted to the morning, so Oz had time to prepare a romantic dinner at his place for Willow, for their one month anniversary. His mind had really not been on the music he was playing, that much was obvious, though he didn't mess up at all, it was clear from the grin on his face his mind was constantly engaged with thoughts of a certain Miss Rosenburg. Spike found it easier not to look at his friend. Of course he didn't begrudge the pair their happiness, Oz was a decent sort, and Willow seemed nice enough, but Spike could do without a reminder that other people's love life was on the up and up, whilst his heart had been trampled once again.

With practise over, Oz rushed off to prepare for his evening with Willow, and Xander headed out too, offering Faith a ride home. She'd got most of the way to the door with him and was about to agree to catching a lift in his car when she looked back at Spike, now sat on the edge of the stage, looking so lost and lonely.

"Raincheck, Xand" she said, patting him on the shoulder, "You go on, I got somethin' I gotta do" she told him.

Xander didn't ask what exactly her plans were, after all he could do without the graphic tales of what she and the Bronze's latest barman or some such person would be doing to keep themselves amused. It seemed she was actually the only one who'd really noticed the pain Spike was in.

"Y'know, Blondie, I thought you were smarter than this" Faith sighed as she walked back over to the him, removing her jacket on the way. She pulled herself up to sit beside him on the stage as he spoke to her.

"Smarter than what?" Spike checked, with a slight frown and a tilt of his head.

"Smarter than all this hurt pride crap you got goin' on" the girl told him, shaking her head, "You and the boss-lady, you want your heads slammin' together, maybe that'd knock some sense into you"

"You know how much I hate riddles, pet" Spike reminded her, "You got somethin' you wanna say to me you bloody well say it, right? 'S the way it's always been with you and me"

"Too true man" Faith nodded in agreement, "You want it on the line, you got it, you love her" she said simply, "And she probably loves you too, and here you are in two different towns both feelin' sorry for yourselves. That don't make you too smart from where I'm sittin'" Faith told him with a look. Spike glanced away.

"Love" he smirked as he said the word," 'S funny thing, 'specially when you say it" he told her, looking sideways at her as he grabbed his packet of fags and offered her one. Faith was smirking similarly as she put a cigarette in her mouth and they both lit up.

"Look, I ain't sayin' I'm no expert on the whole hearts and flowers deal" she told him as she blew out smoke, "Me, I don't hold with all the romantic stuff, I'm strictly get in, get what I need, and get out, no strings, no problems"

"Sort of noticed that, luv" Spike nodded.

"Yeah, and I noticed you're different" Faith said simply, "You can't just, y'know, come and go" she said with a look that conveyed her full meaning, "It ain't your style, and I got some respect for you for that, but right now I still think you're an idiot"

"Well, don't stop there, pet" Spike urged her, as he turned himself to face her better and blew out smoke from his cigarette, "Do tell me more" he urged her, only half joking and Faith smirked as she pulled her legs up to sit lotus style before him, explaining exactly what she meant.

"B got under your skin, man, and you got under hers. Everybody knows it, but I get the 'I told you so' cos damn I saw it first" she told him with a self-satisfied grin as she finished up her cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray between them, "You guys were fighting so hard cos you wanted each other. The animal thing, that was there from day one, and before you knew it you guys had hit the big L word"

"One of us had" Spike muttered, sounding bitter, and Faith couldn't help but laugh.

"Both of you" she told him firmly, "She's just better at hiding it is all, or maybe it's cos she had that huge hunk of Angel-type mass to hide behind" she shrugged, "I dunno, the point is, she feels the same as you. It's just fear that stops you two getting it on"

"What's she afraid of?" Spike asked with a confused expression, doing nothing for Faith's attempts to keep a straight face in this situation that ought to be quite serious.

"I didn't say she was the one who was freaked" she pointed out, and it was Spike's turn to laugh at that.

"You know me better than most, Lehane" he reminded her, "Exactly how many times you seen me scared?" he asked.

"Less times than I got fingers on one hand" she admitted, "but I gotta tell you Spike, this is one of those times"

He could meet her eyes for only a few seconds before his bravado failed him and he glanced down at the stage, knowing she was right. He hated it, but he knew it was true. Drusilla had hurt him so badly before, and now he was in love again, he was petrified of that pain being inflicted on his heart for a second time. He'd got a taste of the damage Buffy could do this past month, the way she'd been with him right after they were together and he told her he loved her. She'd stomped on his feelings, made him feel worthless and dirty, a criminal of some kind just for daring to love someone like her.

"How'd you get so bloody smart?" he asked Faith as he glanced up at her, "So young and know so much about the world. 'S not bleedin' fair, is it?" he smirked slightly as he said it and his friend playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Hey, I ain't so young I can't kick your ass if you tell anyone I was nice to you, got it?" she warned him, eyes sparkling with fun, "But you're decent, most of the time, kinda like the big brother The Powers That Be never gave me, y'know?" she shrugged, hating that she'd even started talking like this, but knowing it was all true and too late to take back, "I guess, you and the guys, you're pretty much my family, and I don't see my own suffer"

"Reckon I like this part of your attitude better than the rest of it, pet" Spike smirked, "You got a grown-up head there, haven't you, little girl?"

"Hey, just cos I don't wanna see you suffer cos of B, don't mean I won't kick your butt into next Tuesday you start with the 'little girl' stuff" she warned him poking a finger in his chest, "You wanna end up running to LA with bust ribs and a black eye?" she said threateningly, but with a look that told Spike she was only playing with him like she always did.

"Running to LA?" he echoed, that part of her sentence catching his attention more than the rest.

"To coin a popular Sunnydale phrase 'duh!'" she said exasperated by his attitude as they both scrambled to their feet, "Have my lips not been moving these past few minutes? Did someone shut off my volume or somethin'! Hello!" she started yelling at him as she pretended to knock on his head as if a door needed to be opened there, "Spike, you love her, you practically just told me that, and she loves you, got it?"

"S'pose" the bleached blond shrugged, still not completely convinced but knowing arguing about this with Faith would get him exactly nowhere at all.

"Then why the frickin' hell are you still here?" she asked him, rolling her eyes, "She wants you with her in LA, she actually asked you to go. Are you not seein' the real obvious movie-type moment in your head, when you show up at the fancy hotel and sweep her off her feet like a big damn hero?" she asked, wondering how this guy was so popular with any woman at all when he wasn't understanding the basics like this.

"Right" he said suddenly, realising she was actually making a lot of sense. Spike wasn't entirely sure how Faith knew all this stuff, sure she was a woman but she was very different from Buffy, not the chick-flick-watching, ice-cream-eating, happy-ever-after-wanting type at all, at least that's what he always thought...

With a smile he turned to leave, hopping off the stage and then jumping right back up again, spinning Faith around who had since turned her back on him.

"You forget where the door is?" she asked, looking a little startled as he grabbed her by the shoulders, pulled her in close and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Don't care what they say about you, luv" he told her a moment later, "Bitch is only part of the story, you're a bloody good mate, got a heart of gold in there somewhere, and I'll always love you just a little bit for helpin' me out. Thanks, pet" he said sincerely, before turning away, jumping down from the stage and practically running for the door.

Faith stood up on the stage, watching him go, her hand going absently to her forehead where his lips had landed.

"You're welcome" she told the empty room, with a silly smile on her face, before she shook her head and went to find herself a drink.

_To Be Continued..._


	18. Chapter 18

_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 18

Buffy ought to have been having a good time in LA. Right now she should be rushing back from a shopping trip with Willow, or trying to convince Angel they really ought to get out of bed already. Instead she was sitting on aforementioned bed all alone, staring out the window at the city where she was born. It was home, and it was beautiful, she'd been looking forward to this trip back to Los Angeles and yet, now she was here, it was far from as special as she'd wanted it to be.

When she'd arrived yesterday it'd been pretty late and she'd gone straight up to her room to sleep. The double bed and the luxury suite seemed awfully big for just her, and only made her feel lonelier in the big city that was once her home. Though she hated to admit it even to herself, of all the people she was missing, Buffy was missing Spike most of all, and so wished he'd have just accepted when she offered him the chance to come with her this weekend.

She knew why he'd said no, of course she knew. What had happened between them was too big an event, way too intense to be swept under the carpet and ignored. They couldn't be friends now, it was together completely or apart forever, Buffy knew that, and though she was missing the bleached blond terribly the fear inside her remained, making her wary of any decision she might make about the whole situation. To choose Spike was to cross a divide, to connect the good family name with what many would consider the lower class. It had always been expected that Miss Summers would marry a doctor, or a business tycoon, or maybe a lawyer like Angel. A wannabe rockstar would not impress her mother or her friends, and as much as Buffy wished that didn't matter, a part of her still felt like it did. She'd lived her whole life trying to achieve the goals set in society, tried to grow up and be the young woman they all expected her to be, and yet she wondered if she really was, or of it really mattered anyway. Spike had said he loved her. Despite the way she treated him, despite her holier-than-thou attitude that she was all too aware she had, despite everything, he loved her.

Buffy sighed as she looked over at her dress, hanging on the closet door in it's plastic wrapping. It was pink but looked like it sparkled with gold when the fabric shifted in the light, another fairytale-type perfect gift from her father. She would look nice enough in her dress and the fancy men and women at the party would tell her she was beautiful and so smart for running the Bronze as she did. Still Buffy knew it wouldn't mean much. She didn't run that club alone, she had help, and most of it came from Spike, as well as Doyle, and Cordelia, and several others. She wished she was in Sunnydale right now with all those people that had fast become her friends.

As she went over to her dress, took it from it's wrapping and held it against her body in front of the full length mirror she sighed. This ought to be her world, with the fancy dress and the fancy party in the expensive fancy hotel, but it seemed her world was changing, and didn't turn quite so steadily without Spike there with her. That thought brought tears to Buffy's eyes that she couldn't hold back. She just couldn't see a way for any of this to turn out well.

* * *

"Where is the sod!" Doyle complained as he tried calling Spike's cell again and got no answer.

"If he's not at your apartment and he's not here..." Cordy frowned, "I mean, where else does he ever go?"

Her boyfriend shook his head confirming that he really had no idea. A call to Xander had confirmed that Spike had attended The Chosen's practice session today and had seemed 'as okay as Spike ever is lately', leaving Doyle and Cordelia at least a little confident that their friend hadn't done anything too stupid.

"Is there nobody else you can call that might know where he is?" Cordy asked, surprising herself with how worried she really was about the guy. Still, he'd treated her well since she started working at the Bronze, he never made nasty comments about her fall from the upper class or the fact she sometimes made mistakes when tending bar. He helped her out, gave her good advice, and was supportive of her dating Doyle. She had no reason not to like him, and now he was missing, she was getting a little scared that something bad had happened to Spike.

"Yo guys, sorry I'm late" called a female voice before Faith appeared, removing her jacket as she approached the bar.

"Late for what?" Cordy frowned as she looked at the other brunette with distaste, this girl really was a slut and she did not like her type.

"Workin'" Faith said simply, as if Cordelia were retarded for not realising what she meant already, "I figure you're a man down with Spike in LA and all, so meet your happy helping volunteer bar tender for the night" she grinned overly much and Doyle frowned.

"Spike's in LA?" he checked, not following the story too well.

"He didn't tell you?" she said, only a little surprised, "Huh, I guess he was in too much of a hurry. I convinced the guy to get off his ass and do somethin' about what he's feelin' for B is all, and before you know it he's half way to the City of Angels and no lookin' back" she grinned triumphantly as she helped herself to a bottle of beer and popped the top off, taking a large swig.

"Oh my God" Cordelia gasped, "You actually got Spike to see sense about Buffy? I love this woman" she told Doyle, gesturing at Faith who looked decidedly unimpressed, "Well, not like that, eew" Cordy amended when she saw the other girls expression, but in a way she had meant what she said. Anybody who could get the two blondes together was going to be a friend of hers.

As much as she loved Buffy and Spike they had been driving her crazy this past month or so, just as they'd been getting to everybody. She wanted them both to be happy, just like she and Doyle were, just like Willow and Oz seemed to be. Everybody deserved to be happy with the person they loved, no matter who they were.

* * *

Buffy forced a smile as she stepped into hall where the party was being held. It was early yet but a lot of the guests were already there, since like Buffy they had rooms booked in the Hyperion and had only had to make the short journey down in the elevator to the hall.

"Buffy, sweetheart" her father looked pleased to see her and the blonde only wished he was half so genuine as he appeared. Hank Summers was not big with the honesty, though Buffy was sure he loved her in his own way, "I'm glad you made it honey, and you look beautiful"

"Thank you" his daughter smiled, "You look very smart yourself"

They exchanged a few words, much more like indifferent acquaintances than father and daughter for the most part. They had little in common and didn't see much of each other. Hank had important business people he needed to talk to more than he wanted to spend time with Buffy and before long had left her alone to go run off and make a deal with some tycoon or other.

Buffy found the buffet table and tried to look like she wasn't already bored and uncomfortable. She wasn't doing a great job of it and somebody soon noticed her.

"You feeling a little out of place too?" said a male voice and she glanced up into a familiar face.

* * *

"Bugger this!" Spike swore as he stormed out of the Hyperion Hotel and down the steps to his car. He kicked the nearby fire hydrant out of pure frustration, immediately regretting his action when it felt like his foot was broken in more than one place.

Faith had got him so fired up, he was desperate to get to LA, find Buffy and sweep her off her feet like the big romantic hero of some chick flick or other. It was bloody annoying to get all the way to the hotel, within a few feet of the party he knew Buffy was attending, only to be turned out by the management for being 'unsuitably dressed for the occasion' as the ponce on the door had said. Spike briefly considered knocking the git's teeth down his throat before realising that if Buffy were to hear the commotion and realise what was happening it was unlikely to endear her to him.

A million thoughts running through his head and anger surging through him didn't make it easy for Spike to think straight. He was leaning on the side of his car, tapping his cellphone in his hand before he suddenly had a thought. Flipping open his phone he dialled a number that it took him just seconds to recall and bounced agitatedly on his feet as he waited for the person on the other end of the line to pick up.

"Yeah, what?" said an almost annoyed voice on the other end of the phone.

"C'mon, Ripper" Spike smirked, "That anyway to talk to your old mate when he needs a favour"

"Bleedin' hell, Spike" the older man cursed, "What's up with you, mate? Haven't heard from you in a while"

"Like I said, need a favour, don't I?" the bleached blond explained as he unlocked his car and got inside, "You still livin' in the same place?" he checked and Ripper confirmed that of course he was.

Spike said he'd explain when he arrived, shutting off his phone and putting the car into gear before pulling away from the kerb and heading for his friends apartment. Poor old Ripper would get one hell of a shock when he explained the situation he'd got himself into and the favour he required, but he'd help him out just like he always did.

* * *

"Bloody hell!" Ripper repeated for about the fourteenth time as Spike concluded his tale about himself and Buffy and how he'd somehow ended up in love with her. It had been a surprise to himself that he could fall this hard and fast, and it was amusing to see how much shock the story of it all caused his old friend.

"Never expected this to happen to me again" Spike admitted with a shake of his head, "One minute I reckon I hate her, and the next... s'pose she just got under my skin"

"Women'll do that" his friend nodded as he finished off another drink of scotch, moving to refill both the glances on the table, but Spike declined, "So what is it you want from me then? Sounds like you're all set up"

"Yeah, 'cept the party I want to crash isn't the kind of gig I'm used to" Spike rolled his eyes, "Long and short of it is, they don't let in the rabble. Without the monkey suit I don't stand an earthly of the ponce's lettin' me in to the Hyperion's big business bash"

"The Hyperion?" Ripper frowned slightly as he got up and wandered off. Spike wondered where he'd gone to and was starting to worry when his friend returned with a card in his hand that he handed to the younger man.

"How the hell did you get this?" the bleached blond frowned as he realised what he held in his hand - a ticket that world gain him entry to the party Buffy was currently at.

"The suit I can lend you" Ripper explained, "But the ponce's still won't let you in without the magic pass" he smirked, "Course yours truly, bein' a former business man and what have you, got invited didn't I?"

"Ripper, mate, you're a bloody marvel" Spike smiled happily, slapping his friend on the back, "Honestly, I owe you one"

"Gave up keepin' score on what you owe me a while back" Ripper told him, rolling his eyes, "'S not important, not so long as you get the girl and the happily ever after, right?"

Spike laughed a little at that, though perhaps it wasn't as ridiculous as it sounded. As tough as he seemed to be, he wasn't so hard through an though. A part of him wanted to think he and Buffy could be happy together forever. For now though, he'd settle for tonight going well, for her not slapping his face and telling him where to shove himself. With a little bit of luck, and the ticket in his hand, as well as the fancy suit Ripper would lend him, Spike thought maybe, just maybe, things could go his way for once.

* * *

"Riley? Wow, look at you" Buffy grinned as she hugged her old friend.

It was literally years since they'd seen each other last. His father had known hers through a business connection and they'd been friends on and off through grade school. When the Finn family broke up, Riley went with his mother back to Iowa whilst his father stayed in California. From that day to this Buffy and Riley had not seen each other again.

"I guess we both kinda grew up since we last saw each other" he grinned as his eyes took in her womanly form, "You've certainly... well, it's been what? Six years? The time has obviously did wonders for you" he told his old friend, who blushed at his words and swatted him across the arm.

"Hush" she told him, "You dare to embarrass me and I'll started telling stories to all these nice people about you, Mr Finn" she told him with a playful look, as he looked a little worried, not certain that she was entirely kidding.

"I really didn't expect to know anybody here" Riley told his old friend, "Yours is the first friendly face I've seen"

"Same here" Buffy sighed, "Other than my Dad and a few of his friends that I vaguely remember meeting, everybody's a stranger" she said as she looked around, "I feel so out of place here, I'd almost rather be back at the Bronze..." she admitted, startling Riley somewhat.

"You own the Bronze?" Riley gasped, "My God, I had no idea when I heard people talking that you were the woman that... Well, I guess I didn't really expect someone like you to run a night-club" he admitted and Buffy looked at him strangely.

"Someone like me?" she frowned slightly, "Why shouldn't I run a night-club?" she asked him, not looking at all pleased, especially when Riley went on to talk about the 'unsavoury people' one might come into contact in when running a place like the Bronze. Buffy grew surprisingly angry as he talked of those people she considered her friends, people like Spike and Doyle and Cordy, as inferior and not the kind of crowd he'd want to associate with.

"Oh my God" she shook her head, "Riley Finn, when did you get so damn superior?" she asked him, "You're talking about people like they don't even matter, just because they actually work for a living instead of going to these stupid parties and living off Daddy's cash!"

As she continued her rant at an astonished Riley, Buffy had no idea she was being watched and admired by a man she hadn't expected to see tonight. Spike, now dressed in a tuxedo that he felt a complete idiot in, had handed over his ticket to the startled employee at the door and had been granted admittance to the swanky party he'd been kept out of previously.

A drink was offered to him from a tray by a pretty young waitress and he accepted the glass of wine despite the fact he hated the stuff, in all honesty he'd take any alcohol he could get right now as he spotted Buffy across the room, looking so sophisticated and beautiful - his nerves got the better of him and he veered off his original path so he didn't go straight to her, instead loitering further down the buffet table and trying to hear what was being said by his golden goddess and her enormous hall monitor of a friend.

"Buffy, what happened to you?" the bloke asked, apparently astonished, "I guess now I see why you're here alone" he said, almost nastily and Spike's blood boiled as he realised his woman was being insulted. Seconds away from storming over their and kicking some serious rich-boy ass, he stopped when he heard Buffy standing up for herself, as he knew she was perfectly able.

"I'm here alone because I choose to be" she lied, knowing she'd much rather have had Spike at her side, but unwilling to let someone like Riley get the better of her, "I could have brought a friend with me, but they're all busy working for a living, making sure my business doesn't collapse whilst I'm not there" she explained, "They are the best bunch of people I ever met, they work harder than anyone, and every one of them is better than you or anybody else here, and I couldn't run my business without them, I wouldn't want to try"

As Riley stood staring at Buffy like she'd grown a second head or something equally as strange, Spike felt like applauding her. Finally it seemed the woman had realised she was not so high and mighty, that other people mattered just as much no matter who they were. He was grinning as he walked over to her and her mate. Taking a risk and not caring what it cost him right now, he pulled Buffy into his arms before she knew what was happening and kissed her firmly on the lips.

Buffy herself was too stunned to respond. Spike was the last person she'd expected to see here and the fact he was kissing her after so long of barely wanting to even talk to her surprised her further still. When he let go of her a moment later she was so completely dazed, and Riley looked even more shocked than he had before if it were possible.

"Sorry I'm late, sweetheart" Spike told Buffy with a smile, "Got talkin' to Ripper, y'know how it is, two mates chewin' over old times and all" he rolled his eyes, acting like he always meant to with there with her and had just got caught up with a friend, causing him to be a little late to the event.

"Who is this?" Riley managed to force out the question as both men looked to Buffy. Every word had escaped her, every thought for a moment there and so Spike turned back to Riley to answer him.

"Name's Spike" he said simply, "What's it to you?" he said, looking almost menacingly at the other young man.

"Nothing" he shook his head, "I... I'm Ri-"

"I didn't ask" Spike pointed out, cutting Mr Finn off halfway through giving his name, as he put his arm around Buffy's shoulders and steered her away from the frighteningly dull and annoying Riley.

The look in her eyes when he glanced at her told Spike that Buffy was stunned to see him, and though she was pleased in one way she was a little mad at him in another. How the evening would go from here he wasn't certain, but he had confidence, it might just be bloody perfect.

_To Be Continued...  
_


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N : This should've been posted yesterday but I ran out of time. Apologies for making you guys wait so long - I hope this chapter makes up for the delay...  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 19

"Yo, Cor!" Faith called across the bar to the other girl who seemed to be in somewhat of a daze, "You havin' a breakdown or what?" she checked.

"Huh? Oh, no" Cordy shook her head as she realised she'd not been paying attention as she should've been, "You need something?"

"Nah, it's all good" Faith assured her, "Just wonderin' what had you in such deep thought, but I can probably guess. Wouldn't be a couple of blondes we both know and want to shake some sense into now would it?" she asked, making Cordelia smile.

"How'd you guess?" she rolled her eyes, "I just keep wondering how things are going. Knowing Buffy she'll be equal parts happy to see him, and mad at him for busting in on her party weekend"

"You miss it?" Faith asked her, "Y'know the high society life and all?"

"Sometimes" the other brunette shrugged as she cleared some empty glasses off the bar, "but the whole rich bitch thing, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Life's pretty good right now" she smiled as she gazed over at Doyle on the other side of the club, laughing and joking with some friends of his who'd popped in for a drink and a dance.

"Here's hoping our Miss Summers is as happy to see Spike as you are staring at Doyle" Faith smirked, "Or we should warn the hotel in LA to be prepared for fireworks, man"

* * *

"Before you say anythin'" Spike said to Buffy, one hand held up in surrender as she looked at him, "I just want you to know, I didn't plan on busting in here and snogging you like that" he said seriously, "Just, well, it felt like a good idea at the time"

"What are you even doing here?" the blonde asked, glancing over his shoulder at a group of her father's acquaintances who seemed to be talking about her and her 'new boyfriend' which of course is what any innocent bystander might mistake Spike for after the display of affection that had just occurred.

"You invited me, luv" Spike reminded her, "Alright so I said no at first but... well, 'm here now, aren't I? Thought you just might be pleased to see me"

Buffy's mind was racing at a mile a minute. Of course she was pleased to see Spike, she was absolutely thrilled that he'd shown up like this and she was still trying to breathe properly and bring her pulse rate down to normal after that kiss. Still, it wouldn't do for him to think she was too enthusiastic about this.

"I'm not unhappy that you're here" she admitted, not loving the self-satisfied smirk that immediately appeared on her face, "But that is not an excuse for you to get a fat head, okay?" she told him and he fought to make his expression neutral, but it proved impossible.

"Buffy, sweetheart" a voice said behind them, and Spike swung round to face an older man he didn't recognise at all, "Er, I thought you were bringing that fiance of yours tonight" the man said to the girl who glanced awkwardly at Spike who was being tactfully ignored by the man who did not know him and did not wish too.

"Dad, you know me and Angel aren't engaged anymore" she whispered, not wishing the whole world to know her business, "I know Mom told you when you talked last week"

"But that was just a lovers tiff you two had" Hank shook his head, still refusing to pay any attention to Spike it seemed, "You know you'll make it up in no time"

"Dad, please" Buffy sighed, "Angel's not here, and to be perfectly honest, right now I don't care" she said honestly as her eyes shifted to Spike, "But there is somebody here that I want you to meet" she said with a smile, "Hank Summers, this is Sp..."

"William Blackstone" Spike interrupted, holding out his hand for Buffy's father to shake, "Reckon I ought to be thanking you, Mr Summers" he told the puzzled older man as they shook hands.

"On what grounds, Mr Blackstone?" Hank answered him in kind, as Buffy looked between the two of them as if following a tennis match.

"Well, for one thing buying the Bronze and putting such an excellent businesswoman in charge of the operation" he smiled, "and second, for being the very man to produce the gorgeous young woman in question, and putting her in this world for me to fall in love with" he said honestly, eyes leaving Hank and meeting Buffy's as he spoke. He wasn't exactly sure what reaction to expect from her, but he took the smile and teary eyes as a good sign.

"Summers, there you are" said a voice behind Hank as he looked between his daughter and the bleached blond in front of him, with a frown on his face, "Come on over here, there's someone I want you to meet" said another man as he steered Buffy's father away. Though Hank was not eager to leave this strange conversation he allowed himself to be led away, business as usual came before his daughter, and she wasn't at all surprised.

"You never fail to surprise me" she said as she looked at Spike.

"That a good thing, you reckon?" he asked her, head tilted to one side as he stared at her, glad when Buffy nodded her head.

"It's a good thing" she admitted, as she stepped in closer to him. Her eyes flitted up from the ground to meet his and he wondered vaguely is she had plans to kiss him this time around. Instead she smiled and spoke softly to him.

"Dance with me?" she drew his attention to the other couples who had moved through the doors just a few feet away and into the ballroom beyond where music was being played by a fancily dressed set of musicians.

"'S not really the sort of dancin' I'm used to" Spike made a face as he looked in that direction, "But, what the hell?" he shrugged, smirking as he reached to take Buffy's hand in his, "I'll try anything once" he told her with a look as they walked through to the ballroom together.

In the centre of the room, they put their arms around each other, somewhat uncertainly. His problem was not really knowing how to dance this way, whilst hers was just being so close to Spike again. Last time things had gotten way out of hand, and now just dancing was evoking strong feelings in her too, the like of which she'd never felt in the presence of any other man. There was no denying she was extremely attracted to Spike, and it was so far from being purely physical. She was falling in love with him, maybe she already was in love though that thought scared her enough that she quickly wracked her brain for a completely different topic to talk about so she couldn't dwell on it too long in silence.

"Y'know you scrub up pretty well, for a night-club bartender" she told Spike will a smirk to rival his own.

"Yeah, well" he rolled his eyes, "Gotta make an effort if you're gonna impress a lady" he told her as they moved slowly around the floor to the music, "Though I gotta say, your big high society party's not so different to the Bronze"

Buffy laughed at that particular comment.

"Not so different?" she echoed in disbelief, "Are you kidding me?"

"Think about it, pet" Spike shook his head, "Blokes gettin' hammered, silly bints flittin' about in their designer gear tryin' to outshine each other for kicks, folks wishing they weren't here and others just wishing they had someone to be here with" he told her as they both looked around the room and Buffy realised he was right, "Course the house band is better back in SunnyD" he smirked, getting her attention back on him as she smiled.

"Maybe" she conceded, "Still, right now I like it better here" she admitted, the look in her eyes telling Spike it was all because he was there with her.

"Yeah, me too luv" he told her with a smile. He was equally as glad to be here, in his uncomfortable borrowed suit, dancing to some waltz or other that was as old as father time. He'd be happy anywhere so long as Buffy was in his arms, looking at him like she was right now, and he showed her just how glad he was to have her there, bringing his lips down onto hers in a tender kiss.

* * *

"Man, I am so wired" Faith declared as Doyle closed up the front door of the Bronze and locked it up for the night, "I always figured this kinda work would bore the hell out of me, but I could stand to do this" she told him and Cordy as they worked on cleaning up around the bar.

"I guess you did pretty good, for a new girl" Cordelia told Faith with a look that said she was at least half-joking. Forced to spend time working together the two had found they could stand to be in the same room for a while without wanting to kill each other, besides which they'd both been somewhat worried about their friends in LA, and that shared uneasiness meant they had little time to bitch at each other.

"You two were like bar angels tonight" Doyle told them both with a smile, "I honestly don't know how we ever ran the place without you" he winked as the two girls rolled their eyes.

"Doyle, man, you are so full of crap" Faith told him, though she was smiling when she said it. He knew the girl well enough to know she meant no harm.

"Well, I think you're incredibly sweet" Cordy told her man, leaning over the bar to kiss him on the lips, "If not a little overly corny"

"Hey, bein' corny is not a crime" he told her as he brought some more empty glasses over from the tables across the room, "Just cos I'm not as badass as my good buddy Spike does not mean I'm not just as wonderful a guy y'know"

Faith smirked at that.

"It's not like Spike's gonna be competition much longer anyhow" she told him as she grabbed a cloth and wiped down the bar, "Once him and the boss-lady hook up, he's gonna be out of the game"

"As weird as it sounds, Faithie, I think you might be right" Doyle admitted, "I never did see Spikey as the type to settle, 'specially not after the way Drusilla burned him"

"Man, that was harsh" Faith agreed with a nod.

"But Buffy, reckon she got under his skin from day one" the Irishman continued, "I never saw him like this about a woman"

"Yeah, stupid lunk-head went and fell in love again" Faith shook her head, "First I thought she was too much of a bitch for him, way too high and mighty and a total waste of time for a guy like Spike but, I guess she's not so bad" she shrugged.

"Not so bad?" Doyle repeated, "This from the girl who was so jealous of our new boss lady she actually wrote a song that screamed 'I hate Miss Buffy Summers' in every note?" he asked with an amused smile.

Faith threw the cloth in her hands at him, which just missed his face as he dodged to the left.

"I was never jealous" she said firmly, "Not of her and Spike having whatever the hell they have. He's like a brother, man. Me and him were never groin buddies and we never will be, got it?"

"Crystal clear, princess" Doyle nodded, wondering just how close his good pal Spike was getting with Buffy right now. He knew they'd made time together before but it had just been a physical thing then. Now it seemed pretty obvious they were all loved up, and staying in a posh hotel in LA together, surely that could only lead to one thing.

* * *

Buffy attempted to stifle a yawn in her hand but failed miserably as Spike spotted her.

"Not boring you am I, pet?" he checked and she coloured slightly at being caught.

"Never" she promised him, "It's just been kind of a long day, and... well, this party isn't exactly the most exciting event in the history of ever" she admitted.

"Thank God for that" Spike sighed, "I thought I was the only one who'd soddin' noticed" he smiled, a little surprised when he felt Buffy's hand slide into his.

"You wanna bail?" she asked, looking towards the door, "We can go on up to my room and... y'know talk or whatever" she said a little awkwardly, knowing she had way more than talking on her mind and that he probably did too. Still, Buffy was uncertain as to exactly how tonight would go as Spike agreed to leave the party with her and they headed for the doors to make their escape. Thankfully none of the few people Buffy knew, including her father, noticed her hasty exit with the bleached blond.

They rode the elevator up to her room in silence as they both contemplated tonight's chain of events and where they went from here. Spike was sure he was in love with Buffy, so sure it scared the hell out of him though he'd never admit it. He wanted her so badly and it seemed as though she were giving him a chance here but Spike was wary of how fast they moved with this. The last time they'd gotten so close she'd freaked out right afterwards and made it pretty clear she didn't feel half so much for him as he did for her. As yet he was the only one to admit any kind of feelings of love and that made him much more nervous than he was used to.

Buffy herself was just about petrified of what she was really feeling for Spike, and yet at the same time, everything felt as if it was turning out right tonight, the way it was supposed to be. Spike showing up here at this party, in a place where he was obviously uncomfortable, just so he could tell her and show her how much she meant to him, it was amazing, especially after the way she'd treated him before. She wanted to show him what he meant to her too but the thought of getting in too deep with a guy like him still bothered her somewhat as she wondered if this kind of relationship between two people like them could ever work out at all.

"This is it" she said as they exited the elevator and crossed the hall to her door, the true meaning of her words not lost on either of them as Buffy put the key in the lock and went inside, Spike right behind her.

"Reckon you could fit mine and Doyle's whole flat in this bloody room" he said, eyes a little wide as he looked around and crossed to the window that looked out across Los Angeles, all the lights shining brightly in the night sky.

"Sure, it's big" Buffy shrugged, "And the view is pretty" she said as she came over to stand beside him, "But it's not much fun when you have no-one to share it with" she said looking sideways at Spike.

"Buffy" he said softly as he turned to face her, hands going to the top of her arms, "I meant what I said before" he told her seriously, "Bloody love you, y'know? Never soddin' meant to but I fell for you and... and now I feel like I'm drowning in all these feelings I've got in here" he said, one hand going over his heart, "As much as I want you I can't just... this can't just be about sharing a bed and what all"

"I know" Buffy nodded, stepping closer to him, taking hold of his hand and putting it back on her shoulder, "I never should've... What we did before wasn't right, but everything can be now" she said, eyes coming up from the floor to meet his as she smiled, "Spike, I love you" she admitted in a whisper, barely allowed a chance to breathe before his lips landed on hers, kissing her with a passion.

This was it, and they both knew it, and felt it. They were alone, they were in love, there was nothing to stop them being together the way they so desperately wanted to be, but this would be different to before. Last time it had been physical, pure and simple, just lust and passion that needed to be vented somehow and though the experience was exhilarating, this felt better already, they both thought so as they lie down on the bed together, lips and hands exploring each other's bodies as clothes became unnecessary and were therefore removed. There was no turning back, no more excuses, only love as they did what came naturally to a man and woman that felt so much for each other. This was how it was supposed to be.

_To Be Continued..._


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N : Although Spike and Buffy are now together in this story, it is not over. There is more to come, though I'm not sure exactly how many chapters, it all depends on how it goes when I'm writing it!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 20

Buffy was a little worried when she woke and found she was alone in the bed. For a brief moment she wondered if she had only dreamt the evening in which Spike had arrived at the party. The talking, the dancing, confessions of feelings she'd hidden too long, before they finally made love together. Could she really have made it all up in her imagination... again?

"Spike?" she said softly, pulling herself up.

"I'm here, luv" he told her from his position by the window, dressed in just the hotel supplied robe, his back to Buffy even when he spoke to her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked as she climbed out of bed, pulled on her own dressing gown and joined him by the window. She sounded almost scared and Spike hated that, he never meant to frighten her at all.

"No, pet, nothing's wrong" he promised her, turning to her at last and pulling her into his arms, dropping a kiss on to the top of her head, "Reckon that might just be the problem"

"I don't understand" she admitted, frowning slightly when they parted, "I thought everything was okay now"

"'S better than okay, Buffy" Spike told her, "This is what I want so much, you and me together. You have no idea how much I love you"

"And I love you" she assured him.

"Yeah" he smiled, "Reckon that's what my problem is, you sayin' that" he admitted, "Keep thinkin' any minute now I'm gonna wake up, and all this will have been a beautiful dream" he told her, his hand going to her face and pushing her hair back behind her ear.

"You're not dreaming" Buffy smiled, "This is real, what I feel for you is more real than anything else I ever felt"

"Reckon I know what you mean, pet" Spike nodded, before leaning in to kiss her tenderly.

"Come back to bed" she whispered against his lips, hand slipping into his as she pulled him back with her, and their passion and love ignited once again.

* * *

"Wow" Cordy sighed as she fell back against the pillows beside her boyfriend.

"Took the word right out of my mouth, sweetheart" Doyle smiled as he pulled her into is arms and she happily snuggled up beside him.

Cordelia had been so worried about Spike and Buffy, and in all honesty the pair had been on Doyle's mind a lot too. It would be such a tragedy if things couldn't work out between the two blonds, it brought home to Cordy and Doyle just how lucky they were to have found each other. They were in love and they wanted to show it, and with Spike out of town it meant they wouldn't be disturbed when they got back to the guys' apartment.

"What are you thinking?" Cordelia asked as she turned to look at Doyle.

"Would you kill me if I admitted... Buffy and Spike?" he said, preparing for some kind of attack, after all it was unlikely any woman would be flattered to hear that another woman and a man were on her boyfriend's mind so soon after they'd been together for the first time.

"I should be mad" Cordy told him, "But I can't be, since I was kinda thinking about them too" she sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Worrying about those two has become a full time occupation" her boyfriend sighed, "Would've been easier on everybody's stress levels if they'd just got it together from Day One, but then it took us a while didn't it, princess?" he smiled.

Cordelia went a little pink at that.

"I can't help it" she told him, "I liked you, obviously, but it was kind of weird. I wasn't used to being around people like you and Spike and everybody" she explained, "And it bothered me a little, that I could fit into this other world that I thought was so bad"

"But now y'see, it's not so bad?" he guessed and she smiled up at him.

"Not at all bad" she assured him, "I love you" she said as their eyes met and he leaned in to kiss her softly.

"And I love you" he promised her, not at all offended when she yawned a second later. It had been a long day, they were both ready to sleep now, comfortably in each others arms.

* * *

"Er, y'know, 's not going to do wonders for my ego, you laughing after what we just did" Spike told Buffy as she lay in his arms in the hotel bed, giggling at something as yet unknown.

"That is so not what's funny" she promised him, going instantly seriously as she looked up at him, "You know this is not a joke to me, right? I love you" she told him again, making sure he understood, and finding it was much less scary right now than it had been before tonight.

"Glad to hear it, pet" Spike said softly as he kissed her, "Love you too, so bloody much"

Buffy smiled at that, pushing herself further into his embrace and just loving the feeling of being close to him like she'd wanted for so long. She was wondering now why she'd ever denied her feelings.

"I was just thinking about everybody back in Sunnydale" she giggled once again, "Half of them will be all 'I told you so' about us, and the others... well, I'm not sure my old friends will deal too well"

"Bother you does it?" Spike asked her, kissing the top of her head absently.

"I thought it would" Buffy admitted, "but honestly, right now, I don't care" she said, looking up at him once again, "I have you, you're all I want. I don't care what anybody else thinks or says, not anymore"

"'S all I wanted to hear" her boyfriend told her, gently pushing her blonde hair off her face, "Ought to get some sleep now, luv. Long drive back tomorrow, and I've got work to do" he told her, "Right tyrant of a boss I work for, wouldn't do if I fell asleep on the job" he said with a smirk, earning him a playful smack in the chest, which briefly turned into a mini-fight before more romantic feelings took over again.

"I don't think sleep is going to happen tonight" Buffy smiled when they were forced to stop kissing in order to breathe, "I know it's awful, but I keep thinking if I go to sleep, maybe in the morning it'll be different"

"What do you mean?" Spike asked her, frowning slightly. He didn't understand at all.

"Tonight has been perfect and romantic and everything I imagined and better" she told him, her hand at his cheek as she looked into his eyes, tears forming in her own, "I just keep thinking, it can't feel this good forever, nothing can. Tomorrow, in the light of day..."

"In the light of day" Spike took over her sentence before she could say anymore, "I will love you just as much as I do now" he swore to her, "Buffy, I've never felt like this about anybody in my whole life. You're all I think about, all I want" he told her, planting kisses on her face as punctuation to his sentence, "Nothing and no-one is going to spoil this, I promise you"

"How can you?" Buffy asked, a single tear escaping from her eye, "How can you even want me after the way I've treated you?"

"Wasn't exactly a saint myself, pet" Spike smirked, wiping her tear away with his thumb, "We both have our faults, neither of us is perfect, and I can't promise we'll live happily ever after and never fight or what all" he told her, "but I don't want to imagine my life without you in it. I can take whatever's thrown at me if I know I have you"

"Me too" she said softly, emotion taking her voice away. With words becoming such an issue, Buffy decided to show Spike what she felt instead and kissed his lips, trying to pour all the feelings that were coursing through her into that moment. Of course he already knew how she felt, because he was experiencing exactly the same emotions.

"Gonna have to thank Faith for this" he smiled when the kiss ended and it was Buffy's turn to frown.

"Faith?" she checked, "The Faith that hates me?"

"Faith doesn't hate you" Spike said firmly, "Or rather, Faith hates everybody and not exclusively you" he amended with a smirk, "Point is she saw what was between us before even I was sure" he explained, "She was the one who made me see what a fool I'd be if I let you go" he said, running his fingers through her blonde hair, "She was so right"

"I'm so glad you showed up here tonight" Buffy told him, going back into his arms and holding him tight, "It's all just perfect"

"It is at that, pet" Spike agreed, holding her body close to his.

No more words were spoken, and soon he realised she'd fallen asleep, her head against his chest as he stroked her hair. She looked like a fallen angel with her blonde hair splayed out around her head like a halo. This pleasant thought led to others that were less welcome.

Though Buffy was no longer engaged to the great ponce known as Angel, she was technically dating him. He'd have to be told at some point that she was now with someone else, and Spike couldn't see the git taking it well. Clearly Buffy's father didn't approve, and then there was her mother who's reaction could be anything from joy to despair, Spike had no clue which since he'd never met the woman at all. His mates he was sure would all do the 'I told you so' bit but ultimately be happy for them, something that Buffy seemed to be more worried about than he himself really was.

For Spike, the biggest deal was realising that this was all real. He was in love, for the second time in his life, though the memory of what he'd shared with Drusilla was paling in comparison to what he was currently feeling when he was with Buffy. She was beautiful, she was smart, she had a temper and an attitude to rival his own, Spike doubted there was another woman in the world that he could love more than he loved Buffy.

As she rightly said, it couldn't always be this perfect, but he'd take what he could get. Right now he was the happiest he'd been in years, and it would appear Buffy felt the same. Tomorrow was another day, no-one could say what would happen, but for now he was content to fall asleep with the woman he loved in his arms, and no reason to need to dream anymore, because he had everything he wanted.

_To Be Continued..._


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N : Slight break from the fluff, but don't panic too much, it's probably not as bad as you think**.  
_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 21

"What took so long, lover?" a female voice called as Spike unlocked the door to the apartment just before noon. He frowned slightly and then smirked she realised who it was. He was stifling a grin by the time he reached the kitchen door and found Cordelia sitting with her back to him, wearing Doyle's robe and straightening out her damp hair, using the back of the kettle to see her reflection.

"If I'd've known you were waiting, luv, I might've hurried" Spike said behind her as he leant in the doorway. She jumped so violently he thought she was going to fall on the floor but thankfully she managed to scramble to her feet instead and blush rosy red.

"Spike" she gasped, looking both stunned and embarrassed as a laugh escaped her throat, "I, er, thought you were Doyle"

"Should hope so too" he told her as he passed by her to the sink, selected a glass and filled it with water, "Wouldn't do to have you throwin' yourself at me, what with me being spoken for as you might say"

"Spoken for?" Cordy echoed, "Oh my God, are you and Buffy...?"

"Yes, me and Buffy are together" Spike grinned, downing his glass of water and still smiling widely when he'd finished, "Honestly, pet, I don't remember bein' this happy in a good long while. Finally got the stubborn bint to admit she loves me, Angel-boy's getting his marching orders, and yours truly gets the girl" he smirked.

"Spike, that's awesome" Cordelia enthused, flying at him and hugging him tight, much to the bleached blond's surprise. Of course the more shocked person was Doyle when he came through the door and found his woman and his best friend in an embrace.

"Exactly what in the hell d'ya think you're doin there, Spike Blackstone?" he asked, in what should've been a joking tone, though there was an edge to it that was quite serious, just in case it needed to be.

"Doyle" Cordy rolled her eyes at the slight jealousy in his eyes as she let go of Spike and turned around, "I was just congratulating Spike is all. He and Buffy finally got together, like, for real this time"

"Oh, well done, man" Doyle grinned at last, slapping his friend on the back.

"S'pose you two had a decent night too then, eh?" Spike continued to smirk as he looked between his two friends, and Cordy held onto Doyle's arm, hiding slightly behind the man she loved.

"It was pleasant enough, thank you for asking" Doyle replied, a smirk present on his own features, and a look that told Spike they'd have further discussions about this later, when the lady was no longer present.

"I should really get dressed" Cordelia said, kissing Doyle on the cheek and scuttling back to the bedroom to find her clothes.

"So, the princess finally gave it up then" Spike said when she was out of earshot.

"'S not like that Spike, and you know it" his Irish friend shook his head, "Me and Cordy, 's not like the other relationships I've had, if you could even call 'em relationships" he sighed, "She's different, she's.. special" he explained, "She's the one, Spikey Boy, and there won't be anymore if I can help it"

"Know what you mean, mate" the bleached blond nodded, "Last night with Buffy, God I didn't know I could love like that. Even me and Dru, it was good and I loved her and all but this..."

"Right there with ya, man" Doyle nodded, knowing exactly what he was trying to say despite the fact neither of them could put it into words.

Their lives had been turned upside down by the introduction of two women who had not seemed to be obvious choices for them romantically. Still, it seemed it was happiness all the way for Buffy and Spike, and Cordy and Doyle, they hoped it would be for a while at least.

* * *

Buffy was still grinning as she arrived back at her apartment, luggage in hand. The weekend hadn't started out too great but it had ended better than she could ever have imagined. She and Spike were together now, and it was a forever deal as far as she was concerned. From the words he'd said and way he'd acted these past twenty-four hours, Buffy had no doubt that Spike felt exactly the same way.

They'd gone their separate ways less than a mile down the road, and as weird as it was, Buffy was already missing him. They had plans to meet up at the Bronze later, by which time the blonde was sure she'd be going crazy from not being with him so long. A few hours seemed like a lifetime right now, which was strange since she could spend days without seeing Angel and really not pay that much attention to his absence. In the beginning it had been different of course and even now she complained when her man went away, but it seemed to Buffy it had become more of a habit than anything else. She was used to having him around and when he wasn't there it felt wrong, though less so these days. Things only felt wrong now when it was Spike she didn't see, but her smile wavered as thoughts of Angel took over her mind.

Whether he'd ever cheated with Darla, or anybody else, Buffy wasn't absolutely certain. She had no evidence to prove his guilt or his innocence, only his word and a few nasty comments from Miss Mackenzie herself. What bothered Buffy was that her own guilt was very real. Angel _might_ have cheated on her but she had definitely done wrong with Spike, and two of those didn't make a right, she knew that.

With a sigh she sat down on the couch, not staying there long when she noticed the light on the answer machine was flashing, indicating she had a new message. Walking over she hit the button and winced at the sound of Angel's voice on the tape.

"Hey, sweetheart" he said, she could imagine with a smile on his face, "I know you're probably not home from LA yet but, I guess I just felt kinda bad making you go alone. You have no idea how much I'm missing you right now" Buffy felt sick as she listened to the message, "Anyway, I'm headed home as soon as possible. I'll see you tonight, baby. I love you"

Buffy was torn between crying and screaming as she sat back down on the couch, putting her hands to her face and then running her fingers back through her hair. Angel loved her and missed her. Whilst she'd been in LA, making love with Spike, her boyfriend had been pining for her, feeling guilty for making her go on her trip without him.

Of course, none of that changed the fact she loved Spike more than she could ever love Angel, but she still cared about her almost-fiancé and the thought of how much she was going to hurt him when she told him they were over for good didn't thrill her at all. Right now she wished Spike was with her, to hold her like he had last night and this morning, telling her he'd love her always and that nothing could change that. She still knew it was true, and believed it, but it would make her feel so much better to have his arms around her.

Momentarily she considered going to find him, but resolved that she was being ridiculous. She was so strong, she'd stood alone long enough now. Just because she had Spike now didn't mean she had to run to him with every single little problem that came along. It still wouldn't do for anybody to think she couldn't stand on her own two feet.

Buffy was just getting up off the couch, intending to get her bag unpacked, take a shower, and get something to eat, when something caught her attention. A key in the front door made her freeze on the spot and she just wasn't sure which way to turn as Angel came through the door, a suitcase in one hand, a bag in the other, and a big smile on his face meant just for her.

"Angel" she said more quietly than she mean to, "You... you're earlier than I thought you'd be"

"I didn't mean to get back til late tonight" he admitted, "but I got out of a meeting today and manage to catch an earlier flight" he continue to grin as he dropped his luggage and walked over to her, "I missed you, sweetheart" he declared as he reached to put his arms around her and plant his lips on hers.

Buffy veered away, pushing her boyfriends hands away from her body and shifting so his lips barely grazed her cheek as she backed up.

"Is something wrong?" Angel asked her with a frown, wondering why she looked so close to tears, hoping it wasn't because of anything she may have heard regarding himself and his indiscretions with a certain Miss Mackenzie.

"Yes, and no" Buffy said vaguely as she dropped back onto the couch and gestured that Angel should also sit, which he did in the armchair opposite, "Angel, we need to talk"

"Sounds ominous" he said warily as he prepared himself for the worst. He never expected the little speech Buffy gave.

"Angel, you and me, we're good together" she began shakily, "Or at least I thought we were. These days it kinda feels like we've been drifting apart" she said with a sad sigh as she looked over at him, "We're not happy, Angel, it's not like it used to be"

"Of course it's not like it used to be, Buffy" he shook his head, "Time passes, things change, but love..."

"Love can change too" she said, before he could tell her different, "Angel, I just don't..." she couldn't finish the sentence, emotion taking her voice away, as she was forced to look away from her boyfriend's face. Whatever he might have done before, she was the one who was actually dumping him, and because she'd found another she loved more.

"Are you saying you don't love me anymore?" Angel asked her, and Buffy was surprised to look up and find his expression was far from the hurt and pain she'd expected, instead he was smirking as if holding in laughter.

"I still care about you" she said, a little confused by his reaction, "but I'm not in love with you anymore, I'm sorry"

"Really? You're sorry" Angel laughed, lightly at that, and Buffy couldn't understand what was happening.

"I didn't think it was something you'd find funny" she frowned, not loving the way he seemed not to care at all that they were over. Okay, so she didn't want to hurt him but it might've been nice to think he at least felt something about them being over - clearly he did not.

"It's not the situation that's funny" he explained, laughing still, "Y'know Darla said this would happen"  
"This has nothing to do with Darla" Buffy ground out, not happy that such a name would be mentioned at this time.

"Sure it does" Angel shook his head, "She told me you'd do this, that you wouldn't be able to handle me and her being friends, and then we got talking about that bleached idiot that follows you round like a lost puppy..." he sighed, still looking highly amused, "It is him who's bed you've hopped into the second you were out of ours, right?" he asked with a filthy look.

Buffy was on her feet in a second, swinging her hand back and slapping him right across the face. Knowing she was capable of worse, Angel grabbed her wrists and pushed her back, just enough so she couldn't attack him anymore.

"You asshole!" she yelled in his face, but it was clear he didn't care at all.

"Whatever, Buffy" he said, seemingly bored of the whole thing, "You got yourself a new guy, I knew it'd happen" he shrugged, still holding her away from him but finding it took less effort as her anger turned to hurt, "We never loved each other enough, or at least you never loved me" he said, letting go of her arms when it became obvious all the fight had gone out of her.

"How can you say that?" she asked him incredulously, "I did love you, Angel, I never lied about that"

"You never loved me enough" he shook his head, "We dated for months before you'd even let me get near you. Do you know how boring that was, how frustrating?"  
"You said you didn't mind waiting" she said quietly, "Because you loved me"

"Yeah, well, my Dad would've killed me if I screwed things up with you" he admitted with an eye roll, "Now your father's career is going south, your Mom doesn't have enough cash to matter, and I'm kinda flavour of the month at Wolfram and Hart" he smirked annoyingly, "I don't need you anymore" he explained simply and it was Buffy's turn to shake her head.

"Then why all the crap on the phone?" she asked, her anger returning as she realised how he'd played her, how stupid he'd made her look, even if no-one knew about it but the two of them, she still despised him for taking her for a fool, "All the 'I love you' and 'I miss you' stuff. Why, Angel!" she demanded to know.

"You have your uses these days" he shrugged, the dirty look in his eye making his meaning very obvious, "I wasn't about to give up on that just because I didn't need to marry you anymore"

As tears welled up in Buffy's eyes and her hands clenched into fists, all Angel did was smirk at her, all proud of himself, not in any way ashamed despite the abominable way he'd treated her. She no longer felt any kind of guilt for cheating on him, only anger and the want to tear him limb from limb.

"Get. Out." she said in a low voice that was almost too angry to be her own. Angel had never seen her looking so mad, almost feral, like she knew how to kill him with a single strike and she might just try if he didn't do as she asked.

Without another word, Angel walked away, his hands held up in mock surrender until he was finally out of sight. Once he was gone, Buffy sank down onto the couch, too many strong emotions exploding inside her, causing her to simultaneously beat up the nearest pillow and bawl like a child. A day that had started out so beautifully had taken a decided turn for the worse, and yet five minutes later when the pain began to subside, and Buffy's brain began thinking rationally again she wondered why she was really so angry.

She hated to be made a fool of, that was most of it, and shock that Angel could act as he had done today added to her initial anger and pain. Now she had a chance to process what had happened, she realised that perhaps Angel's lack of concern about her was a good thing. Her relationship with Spike would always have been tinged with guilt had she hurt her former lover too badly. Now she didn't have to worry about what she'd done to Angel, after all it was likely he'd done much worse, either way, he clearly didn't care at all about her or what they'd shared. If that was how he wanted to be, she could be just as unconcerned. Still, it didn't stop Buffy wishing Spike was there right now, with his arms around her, telling her it'd be okay.

_To Be Continued..._


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N : Angel sucks! Spuffy rules! (Sometimes I'm just so childish!) Hope you like this latest chapter!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 22

"Well, as much fun as it may be sittin' here watching you to make googly eyes at each other" Spike smirked, "My lady awaits" he said as he grabbed up his keys and stuffed them into the pocket of his leather coat.

"I thought you said you weren't meetin' Buffy til later, at the club?" Doyle frowned slightly as he looked up from the couch where he sat, his arm firmly around Cordelia who had no objections at all.

"Yeah, well, a bloke can change his mind, can't he?" Spike shrugged as he opened the door and let himself out. Before he closed the door behind himself he stopped and turned back to his friends, "You two be good whilst I'm gone, right?" he smirked, "And if you can't be good..."

"Be careful" Doyle filled in, rolling his eyes as he did so.

"Actually, I was going to go with set the alarm clock so you're not late for work tonight" Spike told his room-mate and Cordelia who blushed profusely. The bleached blond just winked at her before stepping out of the apartment and closing the door.

"He is so bad!" Cordy complained when he was gone, but despite her cross words, she was having to try hard not to laugh.

"It's nice to see him like this again" Doyle shrugged, "He can say what he bloody likes, within reason obviously, if it means he's gonna be happy" he told his girlfriend, "His heart's been through the wringer one way an' another. He deserves to find some happiness with Buffy"

"They both deserve it" Cordelia agreed as she cuddled up closer to her man. Though his eyes went back to the TV, she had other ideas about how she wanted to spend their time alone, something made very obvious by the hand that wandered across Doyle's chest and worked on the buttons of his shirt.

"Whatcha doin' there, princess?" he asked her with a look that said he knew already as she glanced up at him.

"Making us late for work?" she suggested with a grin, seconds before his lips landed on hers and they kissed passionately.

* * *

Spike was grinning like an idiot as he arrived at Buffy's door. It was crazy but he'd missed her these past few hours, despite the fact they'd only been officially together since last night. He wasn't sure how or why he'd fallen in love with her in the first place, but she'd stolen his heart and at last she'd admitted that she felt the same way about him.

Knocking on her door, he waited for her to answer, his smile wavering a little when she didn't appear. He tried knocking again and called her name only to hear a clatter and a yell in response as she stumbled towards the door and finally opened it. Since she was dressed in only a robe, her hair dripping water all over the place, Spike assumed he'd got her out of the shower.

"Clearly my timin' leaves a lot to be desired" he said guilty, "Sorry, luv, didn't know you'd be... otherwise engaged" he apologised, enjoying the sight of her in such a state of undress immensely.

"Spike" she smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes and he noticed, despite the fact she was in his arms in a second, kissing him with a force, and distracting his mind from anything else.

"Hey" he said, pushing her away slightly, knowing this wasn't like her and that something must be wrong, "You okay, luv?" he checked, holding her at arms length.

"Better now you're here" she told him, trying to kiss him again, but Spike kept her at a distance. As much as he loved the idea of being with her again this way, first he wanted to know what was wrong, because there definitely was something.

"C'mon, pet" he shook his head, "'S bleedin' obvious you've been crying. What the bloody hell's going on?"

"It's nothing" Buffy lied, shying away from him. She pulled away and turned her back on him, which made Spike worry more. The way she was behaving, looking so upset and turning away from him like this made him wonder if she'd changed her mind since this morning, that she no longer wanted to be with him. The problem with that explanation was, why would she have kissed him so forcefully when he arrived at her door if she now believed she didn't love him?

"It's not nothing Buffy" he said, reaching a hand out to her shoulder, "Please luv, tell me what's happened since this morning, what's got you so upset?

"Angel" she admitted when she eventually turned around, her eyes wet with fresh tears as she pushed her damp hair out of her face. Despite the fact he hated to see her in pain, Spike was wary of trying to comfort her right now. Whatever had happened with the great ponce, and clearly something had, it was best they talk about it, not just shag like bunnies and hope Buffy got over it.

"You talked to him then, did you?" he asked, head tilting to one side as he looked at her, and she nodded slowly.

"He came back early" she explained, "and I started trying to tell him what had happened, how I love you and that me and him had to be over now..." she sniffed, trying to regain her composure and continue, "He never loved me, Spike, or if he did, he stopped a long time ago. He was using me" she said, with a painful laugh, "I was trying to let him down gently and he didn't even care"

"Bloody git" Spike sighed as he stepped towards Buffy and pulled her into his arms at last. Now he understood why she was so hurt. Obviously it was better for the two of them if Buffy's ex was happy to be dropped like a hot brick, but Spike could see why Buffy would be so upset. Nobody wants to be told they mean nothing, even by someone who they no longer love enough to be with.

"I know it doesn't matter" she said, her words muffled against his shoulder, "At least it shouldn't" she sniffed as she pulled away a little and looked up at him, so glad to be held in his arms still, "I love you, I do" she swore, "It's just... it still hurt. Stupid, huh?"

"No pet, not stupid" he assured her, "Nobody wants to be so easily let go of, even by a git like him" he told her, pulling her close once again and kissing the top of her head, "Now, why don't you get back in that bathroom, do all your girly things you gotta do" he smirked, "And I'll be out here, waiting to escort the most gorgeous woman in Sunnydale to the best night-club in the state"

"Sounds good" Buffy nodded as she stepped out of his embrace.

"Go on then" Spike urged her, "That's my girl"

"Yeah" she smiled as she backed up towards the bathroom, "I really am"

* * *

"Willow, honey, please stop bouncing" Oz urged her, "You're actually making me nervous, which is a little weird" he considered, since he rarely felt such emotions as a rule, he was just too cool for that!

"I can't help it" his girlfriend whined, "I just keep thinking about Buffy and Spike, and hoping they're okay and not all fighty again"

"You bouncin' on your toes and having a crazy fit won't make no difference to it, Red" Faith pointed out as she leant casually on the side of the building, smoking a cigarette.

They'd all arrived at the club early, all with different excuses as to why, but each of them knew they really wanted to know what was happening with Spike and Buffy, and that was why they were really there at least a half hour before they needed to be.

"Hey, everybody's here" Xander said uncertainly as he arrived, "And here was me thinking I was of the early type"

"You are" Willow bounced towards him, "We just... well, honestly, we want to see Buffy and Spike"

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about that" the brunette lied badly. Obviously he'd had the same idea as everybody else, but didn't want to seem too eager about it. After all, it wouldn't do for a guy to be too interested in his friend's love life.

As the gang waited outside the club, they had no idea the couple they awaited were just around the corner, getting out if Spike's car, Buffy shaking badly.

"I don't know what's the matter with me" she laughed nervously, "I guess it just feels a little weird... but in the good way obviously" she said quickly. Knowing she and Spike were together and that Angel was out of her life, it all made her happy, and yet it felt strange. She'd never seriously dated anyone but her first love, and Spike was so far removed from the world she knew. Still she loved him, and together there was nothing they couldn't face. Besides it was unlikely the gang at the club would be at all bothered by them being together. Spike himself had told her that it was Faith who encouraged him to travel to LA to talk to her about how he really felt.

"'S not like this is easy for me either, pet" Spike told her as they both walked around the car and met at the front of it, "I gotta walk in there holdin' hands with the boss-lady. You just know I'm gonna get beaten up at break for being teacher's pet" he smirked as she swatted him across the arm for teasing her.

"You see my point, luv" he laughed, "We're not in High School anymore, we're all adults. Nobody's gonna care if we're together or what all. The class divide fell years ago, baby, or haven't you heard?"

"I know, I'm being irrational" Buffy rolled her eyes, turning to face her lover, "I just... You know I love you, right?"

"Course, pet" he assured her, being serious suddenly, "Love you too, more than anything else in the world, you know that"

She nodded that she did know, just needing the confirmation right now as they sealed the deal with a kiss. Moments later they were walking hand in hand around the corner, only to come face to face with four anxious people waiting outside the Bronze.

"Oh look, a welcoming committee" Buffy smiled, only half surprised to find them all there.

"Buffy!" Willow was on her in a second, hugging her so tight she nearly knocked her flying.

"Hey Will" the blonde smiled as she hugged her back, "What's up?"

"No, nothing, nothing up at all" the red-head rambled as she pulled away from her friend grinning like an idiot, "Hey Oz, there's nothing up, right?" she said, giving him a look.

"Not a thing that I noticed" he shrugged, though the slight smile at his lips made Spike smirk. As if he and Buffy were so stupid they didn't know what the congregation was for. Everybody wanted to know if it was a sink or swim situation in LA, and now they could see for themselves.

"Right, now that little bit of non-excitement is over" he said, "What say we let the boss open the doors so we can get some work done?"

With the general hum of agreement taken as her cue, Buffy did indeed unlock the doors to the Bronze and the gang filed in, Faith and Spike bringing up the rear.

"So, the boy did good, huh?" she smirked.

"Yeah, but only cos the girl made sure he did" the bleached blond reminded her, "Thanks, Faithie"

"Hey, no problem man" she shrugged, "Glad to be of service, cos honestly, a couple more days of you two and your Romeo and Juliet, tortured love routine and I was gonna start breakin' heads, y'know?" she told him with a look as she walked away towards the stage.

"Doesn't get better than this" Spike said to himself as he watched his band setting up on stage and his girlfriend behind the bar of the club, laughing with her friend.

He had no idea what was yet to come tonight.

_To Be Continued...  
_


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N : Sorry I scared some of you guys with the cliffhanger-ish ending! Don't panic just yet, it might not be as bad as you think.  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc.- see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 23

"Buffy!" Cordy called for the fourth time, finally getting her friends attention. The blonde had been standing behind the bar, staring up at the stage where The Chosen were performing, gaze locked with Spike's own as he sang for her alone, despite being surrounded by a hundred adoring fans, all vying for his attention.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked as she swung around to face Cordelia, who was grinning.

"You are so head over heels" she laughed, "It's adorable"

"Shut up, Cordy" Buffy blushed, ducking her head, "It's not like you and Doyle aren't just as close" she pointed out, "Remind me exactly why the both of you were ten minutes late to work tonight?"

"Hey, I'm not saying it's a bad thing" her old friend said, hands held up in mock surrender as she desperately tried not to blush, "It's great to see you so happy, both of you, it's just, there's kinda no point you being behind this bar tonight when you're so distracted"

"I'm fine, I can focus" Buffy said firmly, turning back to take one last look at Spike before forcing herself to take notice of the various Bronze patrons that waited at the bar for hers and Cordelia's attention, "Okay, here goes" she told herself.

Over on the stage, Spike was less pleased to lose his girl's attention but he knew she had work to do and he himself had a set to finish. In all honesty, for the first time ever he had been almost completely unaware of his surroundings as he sang and played guitar as well as he always did. Usually it was the audience that spurred him on in his performance, and the music he and the band made took him away from the rest of the world. Tonight he was bewitched by his love, Buffy Summers, and even his passion for his music paled in comparison to that which he felt for her.

As the song The Chosen were playing came crashing to an end, Spike grabbed the mic and informed the audience they were taking a break. Just a few more songs tonight, then he'd hop behind the bar til closing, help Buffy clean up after that, then hopefully get a chance to take her home and show her just what she meant to him, like last night. It was a simple plan, but it suited Spike.

"You stare any harder at her, man, you'll burn holes in her back" Faith joked as she followed him off the stage and over towards the bar.

"Jealous, Lehane?" he smirked, knowing that wasn't it at all, but loving to annoy her.

"Yeah, right" she scoffed, "You wish, Blackstone, you just wish, baby" she shook her head, popping him in the shoulder as she slipped off in the opposite direction, having decided she was more hungry than thirsty when a guy across the way caught her eye.

Spike leant on the bar, waiting for Buffy to be done with her customers so he could grab her attention, when Xander, who had headed off in a different direction, came running at him, almost crashing into his friend as he skidded to a halt at the bar.

"Merciful Zeus!" he gasped, gulping in oxygen, "Spike, oh my God, you will not believe who I just saw!"

"To get you this excited?" the bleached blond smirked, "'S gotta be that Chinese bird you always fantasise about at the water slide park, or Princess Leia in her gold bikini"

"My God, that'd be so cool" Xander stopped hopping from foot to foot for a moment as his single guy and geek portions of his brain took over. Within seconds he was over it and back to jumping around like Zebedee on speed.

"Focus, Spike! I'm talking about our careers here!" he yelled with urgency, causing his friend to frown slightly.

"Careers?" he echoed, "What are you...?" his question was left half unsaid as a murmur ran through the crowds of people in the club, several of them obviously recognising the man who'd just come through the front door, others just curious as to who the snappily dressed stranger, surrounded by security guards and assistants might be.

"Bloody hell!" Spike's eyes went comically wide as he stared at the same guy who's caught the attention of most of the Bronze, "Is that...?"

"Yeah, it's him" Xander nodded, answering the question before it had even been fully posed.

"Yo, guys" Faith emerged from behind them, "What's the sitch?" she asked them, following her cousin's arm as he pointed across the floor.

"Damn!" the brunette girl exclaimed, "Is that Lorne?" she checked.

"Who whatting how with the huh?" Buffy asked as she came over to her boyfriend and his band-mates, "Why is everybody suddenly awe-struck by that guy?"

"Because that guy happens to be the latest greatest record producer this side of the Atlantic, luv" Spike told her with a smirk, unsure how such a fact had passed her by at first, and then remembering just as suddenly that she wasn't part of that world. Though she knew some rich businessmen and women, record producers were a whole different kettle of fish, way above and beyond the Summers family or similar.

"Yeah, sure, we'll do lunch" Lorne said into his cellphone, gesturing to something on a clipboard that was waved in front of his face as he finished his call, "See you soon, crumb-cake" he said, shutting off his phone and tossing it to yet another to his numerous lackeys.

"Honestly, kids, the decor is not so far from chic and if I don't get a seabreeze soon, I swear I'll go crazy" he told two large men who were babbling at him about something that most of the crowd couldn't hear.

A burly security guard type pushed his way up to the bar and demanded the attention of the manager.

"Oh God, that's me" Buffy said suddenly, hurrying over, "Er, can I help you?" she said, feeling a little stunned. She'd never seen Spike or his friends quite so dumb-struck by anybody, and suddenly here she was faced by an apparent celebrity as he came sidling up to his security man with a grin on his face.

"Greetings, kitten" Lorne said with a smile, "Take no notice of the heavies here, their bark is worse than their bite, I swear"

"Okay" Buffy said uncertainly, not sure where to go from there. Thankfully Lorne dived straight back in with a flurry of words.

"We had a small hiccup with the transportation to LA" he told her, "Had to make an unscheduled stop somewhere and I insisted it be a fine watering hole of some kind, because honey, I need a seabreeze like you wouldn't believe"

"Uh-huh" Buffy nodded, "A seabreeze, right" she said, looking around her with slight panic in her eyes. It was Doyle that came to her rescue.

"A seabreeze, huh?" he said, reaching of the vodka, "Won't take but a few seconds, sir" he said politely as he set about mixing the drink.

"It's, uh, pretty much an honour to have you here, sir" Buffy said awkwardly, hoping it was the right thing. This guy had to be pretty damn important given the way he stole the attention of most of the club, Spike, Xander and Faith being the most deeply affected it seemed.

"Oh please, honey, drop the sir" Lorne rolled is eyes, "I swear I get five years older everytime I hear it. You can just call me Lorne, sweet thing"

"Okay, Lorne" Buffy smiled, taking the hand he offered her and shaking politely, "I'm Buffy Summers, I own the Bronze"

"Well, don't you just have a scrumptious little corner of a place here?" he grinned, "Reminds me of a little place I used to run, back before the big time hit me" he winked at her.

Buffy laughed lightly, backing off when Doyle stepped up and placed a pinkish coloured drink on the bar in front of Lorne.

"Oh, bless you, you darling man!" the record producer declared as he took the drink and sipped it, "Excellent, mm-hmm, that is the best seabreeze I've had since, well, I dunno when!" he said with a flourish, "I ought to hire you to be my personal drinks boy" he laughed, and Doyle sort of hoped he was joking.

"Tell me something, kitten" Lorne said, leaning over the bar to talk quietly to Buffy, "Is it always so damn quiet in here, when the place is packed? Or has little old me just caused this anti-stir?"

"Er, we have music" Buffy told him, "The band were just taking a break is all"

"A band, huh?" he said, still smiling on the outside but wincing on the inside at the idea of what the house band at a place like this must be, "Well, isn't it about time they got their booties back on stage and showed us all what they've got?" he asked the crowd of people around him who cheered in agreement.

Across the way, Spike and Xander shared a look as Faith hopped back up into the stage and prepared herself. This was kind of a scary proposition, playing in front of a name as big as Lorne. Tonight they found out just how much they sucked. Though they were good enough to be the best band in Sunnydale, it was only a small town, and none of The Chosen ever expected to make a career out of their music, no matter how much they'd love too. Lorne was such a legend, and though he was famed for being overly nice about everybody, he could be just as overly honest when he needed to be.

Oz was reluctantly pulled away from Willow and brought back to the stage. The pair had been beneath the balcony kissing, they really hadn't noticed anything but each other and Spike quickly whispered to his friend exactly what was going on.

"Huh" was the only response Oz gave. Much like a swan he always looked at peace and calm on the surface, but beneath the surface there was some crazy paddling going on to keep him afloat.

There was no re-introduction to the audience, after all most of them had been informed by Lorne that the band's break ought to be over and so were already paying attention to the stage along with the man himself.

Spike took a deep breath as he adjusted his guitar strap and glanced back at Faith, signalling he was ready for her to count them in. Three strikes of her drumsticks together meant go, and The Chosen began to play what was generally considered to be one of their best songs.

'_You said that we were forever  
__That we'd always be together  
__Turns out that was for from true  
__But I'll take what I can from you_

_Don't wanna know what you did wrong  
__I've lived in your fake world so long  
__It won't change the way I feel  
__I don't care if it's not real_

_You told me once, you told me twice  
__I didn't hear a word!_

_Lie to me, baby, tell me anything untrue  
__Just can't bear the honesty from you  
__Lie to me, honey, tell me it's okay  
__Save the heartbreak for another day'_

Buffy glanced between her man up on stage performing and the record producer at her side who looked quite interested in what he was seeing and hearing, at least at first. All too soon one of his many staff came and leaned in close whispering something in his ear. Another showed him something on a clipboard whilst a third showed his watch to the important man. With a sigh Lorne seemed convinced by them that now was the time to leave and Buffy felt awful knowing how much the band would love to be noticed by Lorne. Now it seemed their chance was lost, since after just half a song he was forced to leave.

"Hey, sweetheart" he called to Buffy as he grabbed a napkin from the bar and pulled a fancy pen from his inside pocket. He scribbled down a note and thrust it at the blonde who took it with a shaky hand, "Pass that on to tall, bleached, and handsome for me, k?" he told her with a wink a moment before he was whisked away by his assistants and security guards.

Up on stage, Spike's heart sank as he watched Lorne leave and he glanced around at the band to see their similarly dejected faces. Still, they continued the song and finished just as strong as they'd started, before going on to complete their set for the crowned that remained, cheering and applauding as always.

"Goodnight, Sunnydale!" Faith yelled to the crowd as the band exited the stage and headed towards the bar. Buffy was right there waiting for Spike, bouncing around like an excited child though he had no idea why.

"S'pose it's havin' a big shot record producer here for five seconds that's got you hoppin' about like Tigger on acid then is it?" he checked with a slight smirk.

"Kind of" Buffy said with a grin as she thrust a folded napkin half way up his nose.

"What's this then?" the bleached blond said as he took it from her and opened it up, "'Nice sound, could be interested'" he read aloud as the band gathered around him to see, "'Call this number...'" he read next, eyes darting past the actual figures to the signature at the bottom, "Bleedin' hell!" he exclaimed, "Is this a bloody wind up?" he wanted to know as he showed Oz, Xander, and Faith in turn.

"That Lorne guy gave me that himself, I swear" Buffy told them, "He really liked you guys, I guess"

Spike couldn't take in what he was hearing or reading. He'd thought life was getting to be pretty much perfect, he'd thought he knew how tonight would pan out. Now everything had been turned on it's head, but in the best possible way.

_To Be Continued..._


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N :Apologies for the slight delay in updating! If anyone was wondering, there are still a few chapters to go!  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - chapter 1)**_

Chapter 24

"Yeah, sure, okay... and that's definite? Right then" Spike spoke into his cellphone, sitting on the edge of the stage at the Bronze with the band, plus Buffy, Willow, Doyle, and Cordelia all gathered around him. It was lucky really that he wasn't claustrophobic!

"Okay, thanks, bye" he was grinning when he ended the call and turned to his friends.

"So? What'd he say, man?" Faith was eager to know.

"Didn't speak to the head honcho himself" Spike shook his head, "but his PA or whatever she was knew who I was and why I was callin'" he explained.

"C'mon, man, don't keep us hangin' here" Doyle urged his friend.

"Lorne wants us in LA for an audition next weekend" he announced at last, reaching for an over-excited Buffy and pulling her close.

"Spike that's so great" she enthused as he almost squeezed the life out of her he held her so tight.

"It's like a dream" Xander shook his head, almost unable to believe what was happening, "Maybe it is a dream" he said suddenly looking less than thrilled, "Oh God, it is, I'm dreaming again"

Faith reached over and pinched him hard on the arm making him yelp.

"You ain't dreamin'" she announced, as the assembled group laughed, and Xander joined in, now convinced this was reality.

"We should celebrate" Willow suggested, "Get dressed up, go someplace nice"

"Sweetie, we haven't done anything yet" Oz told her, "It's just an audition, it could all come to nothing"

"Or it could come to something" Cordy threw in her opinion, "I mean, maybe your music isn't my kind of thing but Lorne wouldn't even give you an audition if he didn't think you could make the big time, right?"

"Makes sense to me, princess" her boyfriend agreed, his arm firmly around her waist, "but how come you knew who Lorne was if Buffy here didn't?"

"Oh" she said, eyes going to the floor for a second, and if the gang didn't know better they'd swear they saw her blush.

"Yeah, that is weird" her old friend agreed, "How'd you know, Cor?" Buffy checked and the brunette sighed before explaining.

"I used to date a guy who was into music" she shrugged, "It's no big"

"Did Lorne audition him?" Willow asked curiously and Cordy nodded.

"Yeah, and it was so cool" she enthused, "He took me along with him, said I was his good luck charm, but I didn't bring him enough luck that day so he dumped me"

"He failed the audition with Lorne and blamed you?" Buffy frowned, "What a loser"

"He really was" Cordy agreed, "I mean, hello, who mimes to a tape of another guys voice in a big audition like that, and leaves the cable to the tape player right where a person wants to tap their feet?"

That caused the whole group to bust up laughing at the very idea of a person thinking they'd get away with such a trick with someone like Lorne, and the way Cordelia had messed up the loser's chances was highly amusing.

"Not that I plan on cheating my way to success" Spike said when he'd stopped chuckling, "But p'haps you could stay away from our audition, pet"

"Well, duh!" Cordy rolled her eyes, "Somebody's got to be here running this place whilst you and Buffy disappear back to LA next weekend. I guess that'll be me and Doyle"

"If that's okay with you guys, it'd really help me out" the blonde told them and of course they agreed immediately.

* * *

"Tonight was so much fun" Buffy was grinning as Spike walked her to her door. Deciding Willow's idea was a good one the whole gang had gotten dressed up and gone out to dinner to celebrate The Chosen's upcoming audition with Lorne.

"Could be about to get more fun" he told her with a smirk, as he pinned her to the door and kissed her hungrily.

"What exactly are you suggesting, Mr Blackstone?" she asked with faux-innocence when they parted slightly.

"Well..." he said thoughtfully, leaning in close and whispering his intentions in her ear. Her eyes went wide at his words, and she gasped as his lips moved from her ear and attacked her neck. Her hand fumbled to get the door open and they practically fell into her apartment, Spike kicking the door shut behind them, before being happily dragged to his girlfriends bedroom where they lay down together, promises of affection and devotion passing between them in words and actions combined as they made passionate love.

"That is so never going to get boring" Buffy sighed afterwards as she snuggled up next to her man. Spike only smiled, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head.

"Don't reckon things could get any better than this" he told her, unable to shift the grin from his face, "Couple of times I was havin' serious thoughts about jackin' the whole lot in and leavin SunnyD, y'know?"

"Really?" Buffy checked, looking somewhat alarmed as she glanced up at him.

"Once or twice" he admitted as he looked her in the eye, "Bloody near killed me, you bein' with that git Angel and messin' around, making me jealous. I love you so damn much, hated that I did, hated you just a little bit for making me feel like that..."

"I'm sorry" she said guiltily and he rolled his eyes.

"Will you stop bloody doing that?" he said with a shake of his head, "The apology bit's gone stale, pet, and it's not why I'm telling you this" he assured her, "I know you're sorry, so am I. Wish I'd just been bleedin' honest from the start, wish we both had then maybe neither of us would've suffered" he said thoughtfully, "But my point is, we've come through all that, and look at us now" he smiled, "The Bronze is as popular as ever, The Chosen have an audition with the biggest guy in music since God only knows when, and you and me... Buffy, that's the most amazing thing to come out of all of this"

"You don't have to tell me" she smiled back at him, "I never expected anything like this to happen when my Dad bought me The Bronze" she admitted, "Until then I was just happy to be engaged to Angel and play the dutiful daughter. I thought my life was pretty much perfect" she laughed at how stupid she'd been before, "Now I know how wrong I was" she whispered as her hand went to his his face and she pulled his closer til they were kissing, their hunger for each other taking over once again.

* * *

Spike awoke, alone in an unfamiliar bed, and frowned as he sat up and looked around. Buffy's bedroom, in her own apartment, of course he remembered the beautiful night they'd shared, but he wondered why he'd woken up without her. Just as he was about to go and investigate, the bedroom door opened and Buffy came in, a steaming mug in each hand.

"Hey" she smiled, "I made coffee" she told him as she approached the bed, wobbling slightly and almost spilling the drinks.

"Come on, pet" Spike urged her, taking the mugs from her hands and setting them on the nightstand, "Get back in here, you must be bloody freezing" he told her, since she was wearing only his own abandoned T-shirt from the night before.

"I'm okay" she assured him, though she was in fact quite cold, having spent an hour in the bathroom, feeling nauseous and actually throwing up before she actually made it to the kitchen to fix their drinks. Only half of her shaking was from the chilly morning air, the rest being caused by how ill she still felt.

"You know it's only six in the morning?" Spike frowned as he spotted the clock on the nightstand and red the glowing red figures it displayed.

"I didn't notice" Buffy admitted, that being true at least. She'd been in such a hurry to throw up she really hadn't taken any notice at all of the time, but with the daylight increasing by the time she emerged from the bathroom she'd figured it was morning and she may as well make coffee. At the very least it might make her feel more awake and remove the disgusting taste from her mouth.

"Oh well, seeing as we're awake" Spike smirked, leaning in to kiss her. Buffy turned her head so his lips brushed her ear instead.

"Not right now, Spike" she said, turning in his embrace to lean her back against him, "Can't we just snuggle, and y'know talk?" she suggested, knowing the way she felt right now she couldn't handle sex.

"Course, luv" he told her, though it wasn't what he really wanted to do. He pulled her close and dropped a kiss on the top of her head, "You sure you're alright?" he checked, wondering why she seemed so different this morning compared to last night.

"Uh-huh" Buffy lied, hating herself for it but already worried about the truth of the situation, "I just, I can't do _that_ right now"

"Oh right, got it" Spike nodded, though of course she couldn't see that. She knew how wrong he'd taken her sentence, so far from that particular womanly reason being her excuse, she believed it was the complete opposite that was happening to her. Had it really been over a month since her last cycle? If it was, and she factored in her sickness this morning, a condition that had plagued her for a couple of weeks now, though infrequently, surely that could only mean one thing.

"Can't stop thinkin' about this bloody audition" her boyfriend interrupted her thoughts with his delighted tone, "Half thrilled, half bleedin' petrified if I'm honest"

"Mm-hmm" Buffy answered absently, not really hearing what else he said as her mind went into over-drive.

"I was thinkin' about the material, what song we should do for Lorne. Could go with somethin' older, somethin' we all know off by heart and can't screw up..."

Buffy and Spike had only just recently got together, it was a little early to be dropping massive bombshells, expecting huge commitment...

"But I thought maybe one of the newer tunes'd make a bigger impact, after all practice makes perfect, which means my writin' ought to be better these days..."

At least she knew for sure that Angel was out of the picture. She and her ex hadn't made love for many weeks, and they'd always used condoms anyway...

"I ought to talk to the band about it. Welcome to the Hellmouth seems like an obvious choice, or Lie To Me..."

It had to be that night in the office at The Bronze, the night Buffy had regretted in many ways and yet wouldn't trade the memory of for anything else in the world. Nobody had ever made her feel quite like Spike did that night and since...

"But then the crowd loved Smashed & Wrecked, even if it was a touch on the depressive side..."

It seemed entirely possible that whilst he was making her feel like a Goddess, he was also making her a mother, and himself a father. Now he was fantasising about the rock career he and The Chosen might have if only Lorne decided they were good enough...

"What do you think, pet?"

A baby wouldn't fit into the world Spike dreamt of, so how on Earth was Buffy supposed to shatter his dreams of stardom by telling his she was pregnant?

"I don't know" she said softly, a perfect answer to both his question and her own silent one, "I really don't know"

_To Be Continued..._


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N : Can people please stop using the review function in order to argue with each other? Thanks. Loving the genuine support for this story, which has been constant from the beginning. Just a couple more chapters left now, hope you continue to enjoy.  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 25

It was Friday afternoon, and The Chosen were having one final practice at The Bronze before they headed off to LA. Spike was thrilled by how good they sounded. He had a good feeling about this audition or, if he were honest, a good feeling about life in general right now. He had good mates, a decent job, most importantly the woman he adored, and the cherry on top of the cake was this audition that could launch his band into the stardom they would so love to have.

As the music built to a crescendo and ended with a bang, the assembled group of people - both the band and their loved ones - were grinning with delight. This was as good as they'd ever sounded, Lorne was going to be blown away.

"I can't wait to get to LA" Willow giggled across the room, as she gazed up at her man on the stage, "I just have a good feeling about all this"

"Yeah" Buffy said absently, barely raising a smile before dodging away towards her office. Willow shared a worried look with Cordy and Doyle before going after her friend.

"That's weird" Cordelia frowned, "I mean, hello, she's so in love with Spike is practically vomit-worthy, but since they got together she's been a little..."

"A little, what?" Doyle prompted, concerned by what he was hearing, "I haven't noticed anything"

"Doyle, honey, you're a guy" Cordy pointed out, as if he hadn't noticed, "Guys just don't see the same stuff that women do"

"So tell me, oh great womanly one" he said sarcastically, "What exactly are we, the lower beings, missing?"

Cordy shot Doyle a look that said his attitude did not amuse, before giving him an answer.

"You're missing the fact that Buffy hasn't been acting normal since she and Spike hooked up" she explained, "She'd been kinda distant, a little edgy, and it's weird cos you'd think that'd mean she'd be drinking more, but I don't think I've seen her... oh" she said with a sudden look of realisation dawning in her eyes as her gaze drifted from the door through which Buffy and Willow had just disappeared, and up on the stage where Spike laughed and joked with his friends and band-mates.

"That didn't sound like a happy 'oh'" Doyle said cautiously, "Should we all be panicking, princess?"

Cordy waited amount before turning back to look at her boyfriend with a smile painted on her face.

"No, no panic" she confirmed, "Honestly, it's probably just a woman thing, y'know?" she told him and Doyle nodded. It seemed to make sense, women and their hormones were often a mystery to him, and at least once a month they could be moody and weird for no apparent reason. That was probably all it was.

* * *

"I wish that was all it was" Buffy began to cry as she stood in her office with Willow at her side, handing her tissues from the box, "If that were the reason then... oh, Will, it'd be so much easier right now"

"Sweetie, you're scaring me a little now" Willow told her friend, "Please, just tell me what's wrong. Is it Spike?" she checked, "Is it not how you thought it'd be or..."

"No, it's not that" Buffy shook her head, "Although, it kind of is..." she realised she was lying if she said this had nothing to do with her relationship with Spike, after all that was the main factor in all of this. She sighed as she tried to order her thoughts in her head. Several days she'd been waiting for something she figured was unlikely to happen now, it'd been too long. She'd been to the drug-store, and stared at the shelf full of tests more than once, never actually being able to bring herself to buy one. It scared her half to death that she might be pregnant, and it scared her more that things would go wrong with Spike the moment she told him.

It wasn't like she knew for sure anyway that she was carrying his child, it could all be a false alarm. If it were true, she hadn't really had a whole bunch of opportunities to tell Spike about it. They were both busy with work, and him with the band and arrangements for LA and the audition tomorrow. Though they'd spent nights together, talking wasn't often on their minds, and no time seemed like the right time to mention something as huge as this could be.

"Buffy?" Willow prompted her to explain when she fell silent once again.

"I don't know how to tell him, Will" the blonde looked to her friend with tear-filled eyes, "He has all these dreams, how can I tell him... I think I'm pregnant" she admitted in a whisper and Willow's eyes went wide at those words.

"Oh my God" she said, looking stunned, "Are you sure?"

"No" Buffy shook her head, "It's not like a doctor told me, I mean, I've been too scared to even do a test myself but it's been almost seven weeks since my last period, I was sick a few mornings and..."

"All signs indicate, huh?" said Willow, as the blonde nodded her head, "And it's definitely Spike's baby? I mean, it couldn't be..."

"Angel's?" Buffy guessed what she was going to ask, "No, so couldn't be" she assured her, "We hadn't been together that way for weeks before we broke up. This must have happened that night, in here" she said, gesturing around herself at the office space they stood in, "It was so stupid" she said almost angrily to herself and Willow felt terrible for her friend who seemed so upset, yet she didn't really understand what all the anger and tears were about.

"You think Spike will be mad?" Willow asked, "Cos y'know he can't really blame you. It takes two to, well, do what you did" she said awkwardly, having always been a little shy when it came to talking about sex issues.

"It's not that" Buffy sighed, wiping tear from her cheeks with her hands, "Honestly, I have no idea how Spike would react to us having a kid, this is all making me realise I really don't know him that well at all"

"But he loves you, and you love him, right?" Willow checked as she perched on the end of the desk, looking down on Buffy who flopped into the chair next to it.

"That's about the only thing I'm sure of right now. The love" she admitted, "Everything else is... it's just all mixed up. He wants to be a rock star, Will, he has these dreams and this life all planned out. Maybe he could fit me into it, but a baby? I can't ask him to do that"

"You don't ask him, Buffy, you tell him" Willow said with such force she made the blonde physically jump, "I'm sorry, but I don't like you blaming yourself for this" she went on, "Both of you were responsible for getting you in this condition, and both of you have to take responsibility now"

"I know that, Will" Buffy sighed, "What you're saying makes sense, but it doesn't stop me from being afraid of losing him" she shook her head, "Spike means so much to me, more than any other guy I ever had in my life. It's taken us too long to get to this, to get to a place where we're both so happy together" she half-smiled as she thought of how truly elated she was to be with the man she loved as she was now, but her expression twisted to pain once again when she remembered what they were talking about, "It's all going to get ruined again when I tell Spike I might be pregnant. He'll either leave me which I so don't know how to deal with, or he'll give up his dream for me and end up hating me, which would be worse" she fought tears but they soon overwhelmed her and she cried once again. Willow moved to put her arms around her friend and tried to bring her some comfort.

"Maybe it'll all turn out okay" she said softly, "Cos y'know just cos The Chosen have an audition, it's not written in stone that Lorne will sign them. I know it's what they want and sure I'd be all happy for Oz and everybody if they got their dream but y'know it scares me too" she sighed, "If they get to be stars, will the love me and Oz have for each other be enough?"

"He adores you, Willow" Buffy told her friend, glad to have something else to talk about for a few moment, "Anybody can see that"

"Maybe" the red-head smiled shyly, "but nothing is definite or certain, not even your being pregnant. Y'know lots of things can make you late and sick. Maybe you have a stomach flu, or it's stress or something"

"Could be" Buffy agreed, though she wasn't entirely convinced.

* * *

"Right, that's us all set then" Spike grinned as he and Oz closed up the doors at the back of the van. Inside was all their instruments, amps, and equipment for their audition with Lorne in LA, and the whole band, plus their friends, were so excited. Buffy didn't look quite as happy as she might've but then that was put down to her being nervous on her boyfriends behalf by anyone who even noticed.

"Are you sure you two can handle the club?" Buffy checked with Cordy and Doyle who promised they'd be fine.

"Do you not remember how many committees I chaired in High School, Buffy" the ex-Prom Queen rolled her eyes, "I can organise with my eyes closed"

"And I was running this place almost singe-handed sometimes when Ripper owned the joint" Doyle chipped in, "We'll be fine, Buffy, I promise you. You save your energy for wishing Spikey here good luck" he winked.

"Cheeky git" his bleached blond friend smiled as he came over and put his arm around his woman, "Like we need luck! We're bloody good, that's what's gonna get us a record deal, not soddin' luck"

The group said goodbye and good luck, despite Spike's assurance that luck wasn't needed at all, exchanging hugs and handshakes as the band plus Willow and Buffy got ready to leave. Oz took Willow in the van, Spike drove his car with Buffy inside, and Xander rode on the back of his cousin's motorcycle with her, making Faith laugh with his girlish attitude about travelling in such a way.

By the time they reached the hotel they would be staying at, poor Xander climbed off the bike onto unsteady legs, amusing almost everybody, except Buffy, who it seemed still couldn't find a genuine smile for anyone.

"You sure you're alright, pet?" Spike checked, "You look pale"  
"I'm fine" she lied, sharing a look with Willow, "I guess I just got over-excited about your audition and I'm a little tired and stuff" she shrugged, "It's no big"

Spike looked uncertain for a moment, as if he might be about to question her answer. Buffy just didn't seem right somehow, and she'd slept almost all the way to LA in the car, at least she'd seemed to. He had no idea she'd been faking it just so she could avoid talking to him.

Buffy couldn't lie to Spike, not really. It was bad enough trying to keep a secret from him as she was doing now, but to outright lie to his face would be almost impossible as she was finding out now by telling him she was fine when it reality she was not. Nerves about The Chosen's audition were true enough, however, since she'd made a deal with Willow to tell Spike the whole truth about her suspected pregnancy directly after said audition. Whether the outcome to the meeting with Lorne was good or bad, Buffy would drop the bomb-shell that she was in all likelihood having his child. It could be great, it could be a disaster, but she owed him the truth at least. Everybody deserved that.

_To Be Continued..._


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N : And so this story has come to an end, and considering how contreversial it seems to have been amongst the readers and reviewers that's probably a good thing! All I'll say is, I write what I want and if it's popular that's just a bonus. Again I say, if you don't like it, stop reading it and go read something else, surely thats just common sense. Also, I have no control over what other fanfic writers decide to write, and if certain parts of any of my stories are similar to others you have read, this is a coincidence and beyond my control.  
**_**(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)**_

Chapter 26

The Chosen might have been smiling as they played a third and final song to their small audience, but inside they were all more petrified than they'd ever been before. Though they appeared to be pretty tough, each and every one of them from Spike to Faith were far from relaxed as they played through to the end of their classic 'Lovers Walk', which had followed 'Welcome to the Hellmouth' and 'Lie To Me', since it had been unanimously decided to stick to the old favourites that they knew off by heart and were least likely to screw up under pressure.

Across the room sat Lorne, the man they were all trying so hard to impress. He had a group of people surrounding him, a couple of heavies, a PA, and a few others that Spike was less sure about. A few feet away sat Willow and Buffy, both looking as nervous as he himself felt, though he had no idea his girlfriend's nerves were slightly different to his own.

She feared the band getting this deal almost much as she feared them losing out on it. Whatever the outcome she would have to tell Spike the truth, that it was highly likely she was carrying his child. It would make life a whole lot easier, she thought, if the father of her baby were not destined to be a rockstar, and yet she didn't want to deny him his dream, she loved him too much for that.

As the song finally came to an end, the assembled audience had the good grace to applaud, some with much more enthusiasm than others. Lorne was on his feet in a second moving towards the auditioning band, his yellow and red outfit making them feel a little queasy even if the nerves hadn't already.

"Fabulous, kids, just fabulous" the record producer enthused, "What a delightful little noise you make" he said with a flourish and a clap of his hands, "Honestly, you have no idea how exciting it is to find such a fresh new sound such as yourselves, and every one of you is just gorgeous in your own way" he enthused, "Faith, my little vanilla sundae, you're a veritable vixen on those drums, and you two boys, excellent bass and keyboard action, I was quite overcome, my little choiux buns" he grinned, "And then we have our star. Not to be dissing anyone else but you, my apple dumpling, are the platinum topped cherry on a divine little cake that we call 'The Chosen'" he said with a smile as he spoke the bands name, "Now won't you all just look edible on those little CD covers"

It took a moment for the four members of the group, plus Willow and Buffy, to process what Lorne had actually said and he waited just a moment before he practically exploded at them like a party popper.

"You're in, you delightful people!" he said, making it very obvious, "You're hired, you're booked, you're hitting the big time!" he elaborated, as Spike let out a shocked but grateful laugh and ran over to where Buffy had just got to her feet. He lifted her clean off the floor as he hugged her tight to him and spun her around and around. Willow hurried straight to Oz, laughing hysterically all the way as Xander hugged his cousin and Faith laughed too, bouncing around like a child on a sugar high. This was all The Chosen had ever wanted, it was all working out perfectly.

"It is just beautiful to be me" Lorne sighed, "Making dreams come true, I ought to have a wand and a pumpkin coach to whisk you away in" he grinned, though in all honesty the band and their friends were no long paying full attention, they were just so excited and overcome.

As one of Lorne's flunkies came over to him, muttering something about another appointment, the producer tapped on Spike's shoulder til he came up for air from his kiss with Buffy and paid proper attention.

"You get your fine ass, and the whole band back here tomorrow, we'll do the paperwork thing, strudel" he winked as he turned to leave, "We're headed for a whole new world, kids!"

It was these last words he spoke as he went out of the door that stuck in Buffy's mind and made the smile fall from her lips as Spike hugged her once again, speaking words she barely heard about how bright the future could be now. In this 'whole new world', this new rockstar life, would she really fit? And what about the child she was pretty certain she was carrying? In an hour or so she would find out.

* * *

Spike couldn't stop talking about the endless possibilities for the band's career as the gang arrived back at the hotel where they were staying. They each went up to their respective rooms, with plans to meet up in an hour for some serious celebrating. As Spike let himself and Buffy into their room, he was still enthusing about their life to come and how great it could be. To his credit, he included Buffy in almost every aspect of his 'perfect life' description, which she was grateful for, but the smile on her lips was still a little fake as she battled the nausea that rose in her throat every time she tried to speak. She needed to tell him now, needed him to know the truth, before it was too late.

"Honestly, pet, you have no idea how long we've all dreamed about this bloody day" Spike grinned, as he moved around the room to get out some clean clothes and so forth. Buffy just sat herself down on the chair by the window, watching him for a moment, her face lowering into her hands as she fought tears that she was no longer able to hide.

"Buffy?" Spike looked worried when she came out from behind her hands once again and found him kneeling in front of her, "Are these tears of joy, luv, or should I be panicking?" he asked with a smirk that didn't quite qualify. His mind raced back to when they'd first got out of the car this morning, how pale and out of sorts Buffy had been. Now he looked at her, she still didn't look well, and these tears were clearly of the worried and sad variety.

"Spike, I'm so sorry" she sobbed a little, hating that she'd let herself be so weak over anything. She guessed maybe her hormones were already going out of whack, another sure sign she was indeed pregnant as she suspected.

"Not liking the sound of this so far, pet" Spike frowned as he knelt before her, "Is this you tellin' me you made some sort of mistake?" he asked, looking genuinely scared as Buffy blinked back tears and tried to bring his face into focus, "You tryin' to say that you and me... that you don't want me around anymore, is that it?" he asked, feeling as though his heart would break if she said yes now.

"No" she told him sincerely, "God, no, Spike, that's the last thing I want. I love you so much" she promised him, holding his hand in both of hers, "I'm just so scared that you won't want me anymore"

"How could I not want you, you silly bint" he said, his smirk returning, "You think my trip into the limelight's gonna stop me loving you? Not a bit of it, pet, I swear"

"It's not just that" Buffy admitted with a shake of her head, "Spike, there's something I have to tell you"

"Right then" he nodded, waiting for the news his girlfriend wanted to impart, a little worried by the way she couldn't seem to keep her composure long enough to force the sentence out.

"Spike" she said, swallowing hard, "I think I'm pregnant" she said eventually, physically holding her breath as she waited for his reply, "Please say something" she said after a minute that stretched out into two, and felt like a half hour anyway.

"Bloody hell" he said eventually, a small laugh escaping his throat as a huge grin spread over his face, "I mean, sod me, Buffy, that's brilliant!" he told her happily.

"It is?" she said, a little stunned by his apparent joy at her news. She'd expected shock, anger, sadness, disappointment, a lot of other negative emotions, but never this happiness she was seeing in his eyes and hearing in his voice.

"You don't think so?" he checked, a little worried by that but unable to shift the smile from his face - it was obvious he himself was thrilled.

"No, I... I just thought" Buffy shook her head, trying to muddle her way through a mass of confused thoughts, "Spike, you have this dream, Lorne just gave you a huge opportunity and now... How can me and a baby fit into the plan?"

"Buffy, luv, you are the plan!" he told her as if she were a little slow, "Yeah, I admit getting the band signed has been a dream since the beginning but you, luv, from the moment I laid eyes on you a part of me knew my future had to have you in it" he told her as he put his hand to her face and leaned in til his forehead was touching hers, "You mean every-bloody-thing to me, Buffy" he told her seriously, "I love you"

"And I love you" she sniffed, her mind in a whirl over this, after all she'd expected such a different reaction from her boyfriend.

"Then there's nothing we can't deal with" Spike promised her, "We can make this work Buffy, somehow we will. I don't see a baby as a problem, I see it as a bloody miracle" he explained, "Alright so the timing isn't all it could be but that doesn't matter, if we love each other and love this kid"

"Y'know the crazy thing?" she laughed and cried at the same time, "I don't even know for sure that I'm pregnant" she told him, "I mean, I'm pretty sure but, I was too scared to even go see the doctor or take a test"

"It doesn't matter, pet, I promise you" Spike swore, "If you're carrying my kid then that's fantastic, and if you're not, well then, can't lose what you never had" he shrugged.

"You make it all sound so simple" she said, wonderment in her eyes as she looked into his own blue ones.

"Because it is, luv" he told her, "I never knew my life could turn out like this, it's amazing enough that I found you and that we're together, then the band get this contract, and now we could be having a baby" the wide grin returned to his face at the very mention of it and Buffy was just so pleased to see it.

"The last few months have been an adventure" she agreed with a hint of a laugh.

"That they have" Spike nodded, "Good soddin' job too if I'm gonna write new songs for the album or what all" he smirked as they stood up as one and Buffy wrapped her arms tight around his neck.

"You have no idea how happy you make me" she told him, "I fought so hard against what I felt for you, and now... God, I was so scared I'd lose you today"

"Never gonna happen, luv, I promise you" he told her, their lips almost touching.

"I know" she agreed right before they finally kissed.

They ended up being a little late meeting the gang to go out and celebrate. Kissing had led to them making love, backing up their promise to be together forever. Afterwards Buffy admitted to having bought a pregnancy test and that it was still in her purse, unused. She took little encouragement to use it now and by the time she and Spike joined their friends to go out partying they had one more thing to celebrate.

No-one was more thrilled than Spike. He'd just got everything he ever wanted handed to him on a plate. The woman he loved, the career he craved, and a child of his own on the way. Despite being of no particular faith, he prayed the fates were kind and let him keep these precious things. He'd lost too much in the past, this time he hoped the Powers That Be would be on his side. Surely he, and Buffy, deserved it this time.

The End  
..._except the Epilogue, which is already posted!_


	27. Epilogue

Epilogue

At the back of the dark and empty club, a figure sat all alone, his legs dangling over the edge of the stage and a guitar balanced on his knee. To his right stood a bottle of beer and a cigarette expertly balanced against the side of an ashtray, whilst he scribbled frantically with the pencil on the scraps of paper to his left.

Putting down the writing implement he took another drag on his cigarette before stubbing it out and re-positioning the guitar so he could play. Following notes he'd written on the page next to him, his fingers worked the strings of the instrument until it sung his latest composition for him. The sound echoed around the empty space, his eyes falling shut as he started again from the beginning, feeling the music more than just playing and hearing.

Words started to form in his head, lyrics that wrapped themselves in the cloak of the melody and before he knew it they were spilling from his mouth. He didn't write ballads much, but he fancied that was what he was doing now, despite the fact no words actually made it to the paper by his side. His music always used to be loud enough to wake the dead, sometimes with lyrics coarse enough to make the most open minded of people blush, but then things had changed after he met her.

As his head ran out of words and fingers out of tune, the song ended and he sighed, carefully placing the guitar down beside him on the edge of the stage and pulling himself up onto his feet, grabbing the beer bottle as he went. He used to love this place late at night, all empty and peaceful. It was his sanctuary when he needed it to be. Now it seemed to be missing something, the warmth and comfort it used to bring was gone. There was only one time he ever felt that comfortable now, and though he could bear this place as it was the missing piece had to be there to make it complete.

He wandered across the stage, free hand running along the top of the amp and the edge of the microphone on it's stand. It'd been a good set tonight, playing all the old songs to a packed house, he rarely if ever regretted the decisions he'd made.

Ghosts from the past spoke words he would never forget nor would ever wish to.

"You gonna stand there all day or actually do some work?"

"Actually I thought just standin' here might be fun" Spike answered as if she were really there, almost laughing at himself when he realised his imagination had run riot again.

"You really should do something about that attitude problem" said her voice in the dark then, too clearly to be affectation, "I thought I might find you here" Buffy smiled as she stepped into the light and over to his side.

"Where else would I be?" he smirked, taking her hand in his and planting a tender kiss on her lips.

"How about with your wife and your son?" she smirked back at him, like a female mirror image, "There are still a couple of last minute things need taking care of before tomorrow. Who knew eighteenth birthday parties would be such a headache?"

"It's his party, let him have the headache for a while. He'll cope for a few minutes alone, won't he?" he smiled in suggestive fashion, turning to face his wife and kissing her thoroughly.

"Here? Now?" she asked with a giggle as he ran his hands down her body.

"Don't tell me you don't want me?" he challenged, "I know you can't resist"

He began kissing her neck and shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close.

"You're so vain" she told him with a grin before gasping with delight, "but I love you, more than you'll ever know"

"Love you too, pet" he promised her, and it was still the sweetest of music to her ears.

The End


End file.
